THE 20TH ANNUAL WILL-A-THON
April 23rd at 1:30 p.m. and April 24th at 7:00 p.m. at The Society Of Ethical Culture, 64th and Central Park West
A Two Day Festival consisting of A 459th Birthday Celebration
Sunday,April 23rd at 1:30 P.M.
"WILL’S WAY"- a selection of Scenes, Speeches and Soliloquies featuring Members of WILL'S PLAYSHOP- conceived and directed by Charles E. Gerber with selections from Hamlet, Henry V, Twelfth Night, Richard III, The Merchant of Venice, Macbeth, Richard II, and King Lear.
with the cast:
Joseph Abrams, Arthur Aulisi*, Ethan Cadoff*, Letty Ferrer*, Charles E. Gerber*, Maggie Horan*, Casey Kelly, Erik Kochenberger, Matt McGlade, Sarah Spring* and Jovan Tyler-Graham*.
Production Stage Manager: Mateo Del Campo
Monday Evening, April 24th, at 7:00 P.M.
We'll present a Full Concert Reading of “MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING" featuring most of the above cast along with a throng of guest players - Joel Bernstein*, Tess Frazer*, Mark Hofmaier*, Randy Wade Kelley, Jeff Paul*, Ben Sumrall*
Production Stage Manager: Mateo Del Campo
Some of the critical praise the festival has received over the nearly two decades of its history:
"Lovers of Shakespeare will find moments to savor at The WILL-A-THON"!
—Martin Denton, NYTheatre.com"WILL'S PLAYSHOP players provide the best spoken Shakespeare in New York City"
—the late, Joe Franklin, Bloomberg Radio"Gerber creates a delicious smorgasboard of Shakespeare's works. I wondered how this could be done. Now I can marvel at the achievement."
—Rachel Levine, Splash Magazine Worldwide"The great quality of Shakespeare's work is that it was always meant to be HEARD, not read- and by different voices.
Nothing realizes his genius better than hearing different voices reading the text in different rhythms and different tones.
And THAT, of course is the joy of WILL'S PLAYSHOP!"
—Richard Easton(1933-2019), Tony Award Winner(2001), Theater Hall Of fame Honoree(2008), and Guest Artist in successive WILL-A-THONS :2013, 2014, and 2015 .
Arthur Aulisi* has been acting in New York for over a quarter century. He was an original member of adobe theatre company and the Associate Artistic Director of Andhow Theater Company. He’s worked with Soho Rep, New Dramatists and Ensemble Studio Theater, to name a few. He was named a newyorktheater.com Person of the Year for his contribution to independent theatre.
Ethan Cadoff* (Richard III/Shylock) Workshop: Leontes (The Winter’s Tale); Grimaldi (Astonishing Times…); Semionov (Lightning from Heaven). NYC: Lawrence (National Pastime/Playwrights Horizons); Mustard (The Tales of Custard the Dragon/NYMF;DR2). Regional: Howie (Rabbit Hole); Jerry (Betrayal); Atticus (…Mockingbird); Larry (Burn This); Austin (True West).
Letty Ferrer* has been a part of The Will-A-Thon since 2005. This past January, she was in the film, A KING’S CURTAIN, starring Charles E Gerber and Allison Dayne, and directed by Grant Johnson. In March, she starred in a staged reading of Horton Foot’s The Trip to Bountiful, directed by Lorraine Serabian and featured students from HB Studio. In addition, she has appeared in five Shakespeare Festivals as well as countless Off Broadway productions.
Charles E. Gerber* (Conceiver/Director/Player) is celebrating over fifty years as a working professional actor, teacher, and director. He and his late wife, Carol Bennett Gerber were among the Founding Artists of The Workshop Theater (1994).He has performed in all media and most recently filmed the short: "A KING'S CURTAIN" conceived especially for him by Allison Dayne and director, Grant Johnson that features the talents of Austin Pendleton, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Veanne Cox, and Tandy Cronyn, as well as these Will's Playshop Players, Arthur Aulisi, Sarah Spring, Letty Ferrer, Erik Kochenberger, Casey Kelly, Joseph Abrams and Matt McGlade. You can readily view more of his work online by searching Charles E. Gerber on YouTube and going to www.charlesegerber.com
Maggie Horan* is a NY based actor and a proud company artist with The Workshop Theater as well as a company member with Brave New World Repertory Theatre. She holds a BFA in Theater Performance from VCU and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. You may catch a glimpse of her in the new Hulu/FX series Fleishman is in Trouble. www.maggiehoranactor.com
Casey Kelley (they/she) is a theatre maker in their final semester of study at Hunter College. Follow her on instagram to keep up with her latest projects and soul searching: @thecaseykel
Erik Kochenberger earned his BFA from NYU's Tisch School for the Performing Arts. Credits include: The Great Gatsby (Ivoryton Theater). In This Place (Theatre Row), Macbeth (DCPA), Other Desert Cities (HPAC), The Dudleys: A Family Gameshow (HERE Arts Center). Film/ Television credits include FBI: Most Wanted (CBS), Rosie (Writing and Directorial Debut), Three Pregnant Men (3PM Productions), and Against the Night (Ball Four Productions).
Concentrating on theater and film, Matt 'UgLy' McGlade is edified by leading and performing live music as often as possible. Working almost every type of job in every industry that New York has to offer has given an overwhelmingly gritty and honest approach to UgLy’s craft. Movement and sculpture are among other disciplines M.U.M. engages regularly. If you would like to peer at the career you can visit www.mattmcglade.nyc. Why wait? While you’re at it, follow @ghostlykind on Twitter or Instagram to see updated content and upcoming projects.
Sarah Spring* is a New York-based actor and director. Past credits include King Lear (AMT Theater), The Eight: Reindeer Monologues (TDCNYC), Macbeth, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Black Box PAC). Film: A King’s Curtain (upcoming). Training: Fordham, Interlochen. @damesarahspring
Brooklyn native Jovan Tyler-Graham* is a graduate of the SUNY at Purchase Bachelors of Arts Theatre program. After graduating he became a teaching artist to elementary students and auditions for TV/Film/Voiceover/Theater/Commercial with Invictus Entertainment, Wolf Talent Group, and KMR. His most recent credits include a Cosentyx National Commercial, The Deuce(HBO), The Last OG(TBS), Blue Bloods on (CBS), and The Blacklist on (NBC). He wants to thank God, his family, friends, and any support he receives. In always seeking to inspire others, he wants those coming to watch the performance to know, that you are powerful beyond measure.
Joel Bernstein* (Dogberry): Broadway: Born Yesterday; National Tour: Fiddler on the Roof; Off Broadway: The Fantasticks; Merchant of Venice (Shylock) Film: The Meyerowitz Stories; TV: Chappelle’s Show; Mozart in the Jungle (Series Regular).
Tess Frazer* recently guest starred on FBI Most Wanted (CBS), and plays Callie Dunne in the limited series Godless, on Netflix. She originated roles in the world premieres of new plays The Perplexed by Richard Greenberg (Manhattan Theatre Club), Mary Page Marlowe by Tracy Letts (Steppenwolf Chicago & Second Stage NYC), and Love All by Anna Deavere Smith (workshops). Other theatre credits include The Winter’s Tale, Dracula, The Poor of New York, All My Sons, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, & This Property is Condemned. Tess was born & raised in NYC, into a family of actors, and after graduating a drama major from Laguardia High School for Performing Arts continued to study at Circle in The Square Theatre School, Maggie Flanigan Studio, and John Basil’s American Globe Theatre. This past year Tess started writing and performing her own standup comedy, and has performed at Gotham Comedy Club and Governors’.
Mark Hofmaier* played "Benedick" in Carol Bennett Gerber's production of Much Ado at the Workshop in '99. Mark has an extensive career in regional and off-Broadway theater, as well as roles at The Workshop Theater.
Randy Wade Kelley is a NYC based actor/writer with a Radio-TV-Film degree from the University of Texas. Notable credits— Game of Thrones: The Musical (Off Broadway), Save the Video Store (ATL), LOST: The Musical (LA), Working (LA), Jekyll & Hyde (LA), and The Laramie Project (ATX). He’s also done some TV and had one line in the movie “Red.” @randsomnotes
Jeff Paul* (Leonato)- Jeff is happy to be involved for another year, and celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Workshop Theater/C.E. Gerber’s Will-A-Thon and to be working with this fantastic group of artists. A toast to all who love and appreciate the artistry and magic of Shakespeare! “With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.” AEA/SAG/AFTRA
Ben Sumrall* is a New York-based actor and media artist. A member of Actors’ Equity Association, he also recently served as Board Chair of the Workshop Theater. Ben has performed in theatres throughout New York City, on Comedy Central, and was a part of the Drama Desk- nominated Ryan Case 1873. He has appeared in the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, and the Tribeca Festival.
Mateo Del Campo grew up in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since graduating high school, he has created half a dozen short passion projects and attended film schools in Copenhagen and Paris. He is currently living in New York to expand his knowledge and experience of the New York theater industry.
*Equity Member appearing with permission of Actors’ Equity Association without benefit of an Equity contract in this Off-Off Broadway production.