CAP21 Theatre Company to Present Reading of THE GIVER Featuring Blaemire, Wyman, and More, 11/23

THE GIVER, with a book by Nathan Christensen, music by Scott Murphy, and lyrics by Nathan Christensen, will hold a premiere reading at the CAP21 Theatre Company on November 23rd. The cast for the reading will include Nick Blaemire, Vivienne Cleary, Jeff Edgerton, Frank Galgano, Bridget Harvey, Jaimie Kelton, Heather Matarazzo, Cathleen Oliva, Eric Peterson, and Nick Wyman. The reading will be directed by Pamela Berlin.

Jonas, a 12-year-old boy, is given the responsibility of holding the collective memory of life before Sameness. Set in a utopian community, where color, weather, and feelings have been traded for uncomplicated lives, Jonas alone discovers life's full potential for both pain and joy.

Tickets for the event are free, and may be reserved by calling the Theatre Company at CAP21's box office at 212-352-3101.

CAP21's professional theatre company began in 1994 with the Blackjacks Festival which showcased artists and new work to the theatre community. This Festival solidified CAP21 as a producer and launched its new works development wing which now includes readings, workshops, and professional performances. After nine Festivals, it was decided to allocate resources and talent to fully produce pieces that were initiated at CAP21 for the public as the next logical step in the developmental process. The Monday Night Reading Series was launched to take an initial look at new work and present classic plays and musicals. The classics provide an opportunity for actors to learn some of the great pieces from the canon and audiences to hear the language and the music.

Since 1994, over 190 new musicals and plays by more than 230 writers have been presented to the public and the industry through readings and productions. CAP21 provides a forum for shows to go on to subsequent productions and twenty percent have transferred to venues in New York and nationwide such as The Public Theatre, Theatre for the New City, The Goodspeed Opera House, Trenton's Passage Theatre and LA's Tiffany Theatre.

For more information, visit the CAP21 website at www.cap21.org.