THE 21st Annual Will-a-Thon
Conceived and Directed by Charles E. Gerber
“Will’s Way”
....a night of Scenes, Speeches, and Soliloquies featuring a cast of 13 from Will's Playshop, including Special Guest Artist, AUSTIN PENDLETON.
With selections from Hamlet, Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Julius Caesar, and The Winter’s Tale.
THE SOCIETY OF ETHICAL CULTURE
2 W. 64TH ST., 4TH FLOOR
7:00pm
Featuring: ADEMIDE AKINTILO*, ZOE ANASTASSIOU*, ARTHUR AULISI*, ETHAN CADOFF*, DIMITRI CARTER*, TOM LUKE DiCOSTANZO, LETTY FERRER*, CHARLES E. GERBER*, JaQWAN J. KELLY, MARY LAUREN*, ORLEA MATTSON, AUSTIN PENDLETON*, JOVAN TYLER-GRAHAM
JOHN CONCANNON( PSM)*
See also Part II - "FOR THY SWEET LOVE REMEMB'RED" 4/28/24 @ 1:30pm
Some of the critical praise the festival has received over the 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 .
Charles E. Gerber ( Conceiver, Director, Composer, Player) has been a professional actor now for 53 years and a producer/director for some thirty five. He's appeared on Broadway(OH! CALCUTTA!, HAMLET,) and has starred in two National Tours( TORCH SONG TRILOGY, and DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST).A Founding Artist of THE WORKSHOP THEATER along with his late wife, Carol Bennett Gerber,he's appeared in a number of films and television series. For more, go to his YouTube Channel.GO WILL POWER!
Zoe Anastassiou is a Greek-Aussie-British theatre/TV/film/voiceover actress. Zoe was just seen performing as part of Visible Ink - a writing program for cancer patients at MSK who write and are mentored by award-winning writers and then have their pieces come to life by many award-winning actors. Zoe can next be seen workshopping a few new play development pieces, with one on the road to the Edinburgh Fringe, and is soon to start recording her new role in the latest audio drama by How We Manage Stuff, where she is a regular voice. To find out more please visit www.zoeanastassiou.com
Arthur Aulisi is thrilled to be doing another Will-a-thon and to be acting in New York City once again. These days, his artistic home is River Rep Theatre in the Catskills, of which he is the Associate Artistic Director. Next up with River Rep - 'ART' by Yasmina Reza. www.riverrep.org
Tom Luke DiCostanzo, bitten by the performance bug while studying filmmaking at SUNY Purchase, has honed his craft in an international community, including training at The International Actors Studio and various Manhattan studios. His drive to challenge himself has led to roles such as a Featured Player on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and in an upcoming short film from a Producer of AMERICAN FICTION, all with the support of his team at Independent Artists Entertainment IAE. A romantic at his core, he feels this training and subsequent festival has strengthened the vine that connects his head to his heart, so it may continue to bloom the art and expression he cannot live without. He thanks his community for continued unconditional love and support!
Letty Ferrer is thrilled to say that she has been a part of the Will - A - Thon from its inception. Last year Letty was cast in a film called « A King’s Curtain » starring Charles E Gerber and directed by Grant Johnson. Prior to all of this, Letty has had an extensive background in Shakespeare, and became a member of AEA when she joined the National Tour of AFTER THE FALL by Arthur Miller. Having been raised in a theatrical family, she made her acting debut when she went on stage occasionally, in a production of OTHELLO with Paul Robeson and her parents.
Mary Lauren an AEA multi-hyphenate Performer, Director/Choreographer, and Writer. B.F.A. from CSF. Cathy, The Last 5 Years, Louise, Gypsy, Sarah, Sarah Was Mine, The Girl, Omotenashi Journey (Carnegie Hall), Helena, Midsummer and Gertrude, Hamlet. Written works; My Shadow and Me and Start With I Do (choice award winner.) Film: Lead, Dream of Spring. She is Youth Artistic Director at AMT Theatre. Thank you, Charles! marylaurenonline.com.
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 Grossman Jack. His most recent credits include a Tide 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.
John Concannon (Stage Manager) recently completed Fifth Avenue, A Jazz Musical Comedy at Don’t Tell Mama, and Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground at the Theatre at St. Clement’s with John Rubinstein. The previous season brought Mr. Rubinstein and Bob Gunton to The Southampton Cultural Center with Jeff Cohen’s The Soap Myth.
*Equity Member appearing with permission of Actors’ Equity Association without benefit of an Equity contract in this Off-Off Broadway production.
Actors' Equity Association (AEA), founded in 1913, represents more than 50,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org