Dominique Morisseau, Amanda Quaid, And Jason Gray Platt Plays On Deck For PLAYING ON AIR Live Recording Benefit

Playing on Air has announced preliminary casting for its star-studded live recording and benefit on Monday, November 18th. Presented at the Pershing Square Signature Center, the evening will feature performances by Tony, Emmy, and Golden Globe winner Tony Shalhoub (The Band's Visit, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "Monk"), Lucille Lortel Award winner Mirirai Sithole (School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, "Russian Doll," "Broad City"), and Tony nominee Kristine Nielsen (Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Playing on Air's Wildwood Park) in short plays by MacArthur "Genius Grant" winner Dominique Morisseau (Ain't Too Proud-The Life and Times of the Temptations, The Detroit Projects), and Amanda Quaid. Tony-nominated actor and Playing on Air artistic associate Steven Boyer will once again host the annual fête and star in Jason Gray Platt's HUMAN RESOURCES.

Goldie E. Patrick (FRESHH Inc) will direct Morisseau's JEZELLE THE GAZELLE, and Tony nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel (Hand to God, Playing on Air's Nudity Rider) will helm Quaid's THE CLAM. Additional casting & directors will be announced ahead of the event.

"It's always so exciting to be able to give our guests - and later, podcast and radio listeners - a little peek into the recording process," said Playing on Air Associate Producer Michele O'Brien. "Watching the kind of magic these brilliant theatermakers can conjure in just an afternoon of rehearsals... it's going to be an incredible evening."

The November 18th benefit celebrates the annual James Stevenson Award for Comedic Short Play, which offers the nation's largest top prize specifically for a new comedic short. Platt & Quaid's plays are the first and second prize winners for 2019, respectively. The event, which will also feature a silent auction and cocktail party, supports Playing on Air's mission to bring the highest quality theater to audiences everywhere for free. Playing on Air will release the live recordings of all three audio productions as part of its 2020 podcast and public radio season.

For tickets & sponsorship opportunities, visit playingonair.org/benefit-2019

Listen to the Playing on Air podcast at bit.ly/PlayingOnAir or playingonair.org