Emily Skinner Joins Tim Realbuto, Erika Henningsen, and Nick Rehberger In THE GLASS MENAGERIE Benefit Reading

Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner has been tapped to star as matriarch Amanda Wingfield in the Actors Fund 'Friday Night Play Reading' series, created by Alison Tanney and Tim Realbuto.

Ms. Skinner, who was Tony nominated for playing conjoined twin Daisy Hilton, also holds a Drama Desk Award nomination for her riveting performance in "The Prince of Broadway." The star's long list of other Broadway credits include "Billy Elliot", "The Cher Show", "The Full Monty", "James Joyce's The Dead", "Jekyll & Hyde", and "A Christmas Carol."

Ms. Skinner has appeared as Jennifer Probst on the CBS drama "Madame Secretary", as well as starring as Claire Parker in the David Garrett helmed feature film "Ten Stories Tall", opposite Josh Hamilton, Jim Gaffigan, Ally Sheedy, and Tovah Feldshuh. She can also be seen in the feature film "The Adulterer" and can be heard as part of the voice cast of the animated feature "Anastasia."

Ms. Skinner joins previously announced Erika Henningsen as Laura Wingfield, Tim Realbuto ("Yes") as Tom Wingfield, and Nick Rehberger ("Fiddler on the Roof") as The Gentleman Caller.

Directed by Alison Tanney (who created and runs The Theatre Enthusiast Podcast and recently had a huge success with the Actors Fund benefit production of Neil LaBute's "The Shape of Things") will also produce the virtual online reading, with all proceeds going directly to The Actors Fund during this pandemic.

"The Glass Menagerie" is a memory play, and its action is drawn from the memories of the narrator, Tom Wingfield (Realbuto). Tom is also a character in the play, which is set in St. Louis in 1937. He is an aspiring poet who toils in a shoe warehouse to support his mother, Amanda (Skinner), and sister, Laura (Henningsen). Will things finally change for the Wingfields when a handsome Gentleman Caller named Jim (Rehberger) comes to call on painfully shy Laura? Or are they doomed to live a repetitive existence for the rest of their lives?

"The Glass Menagerie" is set for Friday, May 29th at 6:00 PM.

'The Friday Night Play Readings' is a new series, created by Tanny and Realbuto to help people in quarantine get some entertainment at the end of a long week. This bi-monthly series will feature a new play every couple of weeks as long as theatre in NYC remains closed.

After "The Glass Menagerie", the group's next two play readings will be "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead" by Bert V. Royal (June 12th); and "Driving Miss Daisy" by Alfred Uhry (June 26th).

Please visit www.PlayReadingFridays.com for more information and a link to where you can watch the live streams. The virtual productions are free to watch, but a five dollar donation to the Actors Fund is suggested.