American Theater Group Stages Reading of New Play LEVITY

New York playwright Stephanie DiMaggio has written a play that wrestles with the impact of family secrets, and the fallout that ensues when fame and fortune don't necessarily bring happiness. Now, American Theater Group will present a reading of Levity at the South Orange Performing Arts Center Loft on June 25 at 7 p.m. Tony Award-winning actress Michelle Pawk, and Tony Award-nominated John Dossett, who is currently appearing on Broadway in War Paint, will take the leads in this riveting story. David Ross and playwright Stephanie DiMaggio will round out the cast. The reading gives professional actors a chance to bring life to the play as they read with script-in-hand, and gives audiences the opportunity to provide valuable feedback to the playwright as she continues to refine the work. Benjamin Endsley Klein will direct.

The compelling drama begins as Dawn and Adam are trying to grieve their father in peace, but peace is hard to come by when your father was a music icon being grieved by millions. A week after his death, the kids are paid an unexpected visit by his first wife and former bandmate Connie, who has come in search of closure ... and cash. The one time rock-goddess- turned-recluse, claims to have a story about their famous father that they simply won't believe. Or will they? Over the course of one night, two families collide, secrets are revealed and art is unraveled - as they each learn that the price of fame was far greater than they imagined. Now it is up to Dawn and Adam to decide how to salvage their father's legacy without sacrificing their own.

DiMaggio is an accomplished playwright and actor, with a resumé that firmly establishes her credentials as a theatre artist. She is a graduate of Fordham University and NYU's famed Graduate Acting Program. In 2014 she made her Off-Broadway playwriting debut as co- author of 17 Orchard Point. The production, in which she also starred opposite Michele Pawk, played at The Beckett Theater and was directed by Stella Powell-Jones. Her additional plays have been developed at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Atlantic Theater Co. and the Big Sky Theater Workshop.

"I couldn't be more excited to share Levity with the South Orange community, especially since two of my favorite South Orange residents - Michele Pawk and John Dossett - have played a critical role in bringing the play to life. Test driving a new work for a supportive audience is an invaluable part of the development process, and I can think of no more perfect place to do so than with American Theater Group at SOPAC. "

Levity by Stephanie DiMaggio will be performed South Orange Performing Arts Center Loft on Sunday, June 25 at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale and are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. They can be purchased at http://www.sopacnow.org/american-theater-group-levity/ or by calling the box office at (973) 313-2787.

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