Josh Hamilton, Mark Ruffalo, and Missy Yager to Reunite for THIS IS OUR YOUTH Benefit, 6/10

PS3 Charrette Elementary School NYC has announced a benefit reading of Kenneth Lonergan's This Is Our Youth on Monday, June 10 at 7pm at The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42 Street. The reading will feature original cast members Josh Hamilton, Mark Ruffalo, and Missy Yager, and will be directed by original director Mark Brokaw.

The evening is organized by PS3 parents involved in the New York theatre community: Oliver Dow (The New Group/Atlantic), Daniel and Addie Talbott (Rattlestick/Rising Phoenix Rep), Nick Gottlieb (The Gym at Judson), Erika Mallin (Signature Theatre). Ruffalo and Lonergan are also PS3 parents.

In addition to the reading of This Is Our Youth, Lonergan's groundbreaking 1996 drama about disaffected Manhattan youth, special guest actors will join the cast to read short plays written by PS3 students under the guidance of artist-in-residence Adam Crescenzi. All proceeds from the event benefit PS3 Charrette Elementary School.

PS3 Charrette Elementary School NYC was founded in 1971 as a progressive and experimental school. The PS3 of today came into being through a community workshop process known as a 'charrette,' at which parents and other community members, teachers, administrators, public officials, social planners and educational consultants arrived at a vision of child-centered learning in open multi-age classrooms, with a nonhierarchical structure, active parent involvement and an emphasis on the arts. John Melser, an educator from New Zealand, served as the school's first leader, and remained its director until 1991. PS3's current principal is Lisa Siegman. Many of the John Melser Charrette School's founding teachers have spent their entire careers at the school. That generation began to reach retirement age in the late 1990′s, but the teacher turnover rate remains low. Though the school has adapted to change, the essence of the original concept has withstood the test of time.

Kenneth Lonergan's productions in New York include Medieval Play (Signature Theatre), The Starry Messenger (New Group), Lobby Hero (Playwrights Horizons, John Houseman Theatre, Drama Desk Best Play Nominee, Outer Critics Circle Best Play and John Gassner Playwriting Nominee, included in the 2000-2001 Best Plays Annual), The Waverly Gallery (Williamstown Theatre Festival, Promenade; 2001 Pulitzer Prize finalist), and This Is Our Youth (Drama Desk Best Play Nominee). Lobby Hero(Olivier Award Nominee for Best Play) and This Is Our Youth have also received productions on London's West End. He co-wrote the film Gangs of New York, which garnered a WGA and Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. His film You Can Count on Me, which he wrote and directed, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Screenplay, won the Sundance 2000 Grand Jury Prize and The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, the NY Film Critics Circle, LA Films Critics Circle, Writers Guild of America and National Board of Review Awards for Best Screenplay of 2001, the AFI Awards for Best Film and Best New Writer, as well as the Sutherland Trophy at the London Film Festival. The film Margaret, which he wrote and directed, was released last fall. He is a member of Naked Angels. He is married to actress J. Smith-Cameron. They have one daughter, Nelly SharpeLonergan.

Tickets are $125, or $175 for premium seating. A post-reading beer and wine reception with the artists is included in the ticket price, and will be catered by Le Souk.

Tickets may be purchased at www.ticketcentral.com, by calling 212.279.4200, or in person at 416 West 42 Street (12pm-8pm daily). Donations to the school can be made by check payable to "PS3 SCC" sent to PS3 at 490 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014. Or visit the 3Fund online at https://www.nycharities.org/app/ps3/.