Joel Grey to Direct Reading of ON BORROWED TIME Starring Phillipa Soo, Bebe Neuwirth, Sam Waterston and More

Rehearsals begin today for the online reading of Paul Osborn's On Borrowed Time, directed by Academy and Tony Award winner Joel Grey, as part of the Two River Theater's "Two River Rising" series. Benefitting The Actors Fund, this special reading features a cast that includes Blair Brown, Michael Cumpsty, Oakes Fegley, Bill Irwin, Bebe Neuwirth, Phillipa Soo, Steven Skybell, and Sam Waterston. Act One of the live reading will take place on Wednesday, August 5 at 7:00pm ET and Act Two on Thursday, August 6 at 7:00pm ET.

"Two River Rising," launched by Two River Theater, is a series of benefit play readings selects to reflect the past, present, and future of the theater's diverse range of programming including reimagined classics and world premieres by the industry's most adventurous theater artists. For more information, please visit: TwoRiverTheater.org/tworiverrising.

This rarely-produced American masterpiece is a magical fantasy about the love between a little boy and his Gramps. When Death himself pays them a visit in the form of a man named Mr. Brink, Gramps outwits him - trapping Brink in a tree and refusing to let him down. Oakes Fegley will reprise his Two River debut as Pud, the role which launched Joel Grey's theatrical career at the Cleveland Playhouse as a nine-year-old boy.

Mr. Grey said, "Though I'm not nine anymore, I've revisited this play many times throughout my life, and I'm not sure I ever needed to hear what it has to say as much as I do right now."

Online benefit event tickets are $25 per reading or $100 for the series of five readings and include access to live post-reading Q&As with the artists involved, hosted on Zoom. Sponsorships start at $1,000, and include additional benefits such as an invitation to a private virtual event with reading artists.

All donations made to Two River Theater in support of the series will be matched by a generous donor, to benefit five organizations with a pressing need due to the impact of systemic racism and COVID-19.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski