Judy Gold To Lead Benefit Reading of THE RAGING SKILLET

The Jewish Plays Project (David Winitsky, Executive Artistic Director) is thrilled to present the New York premiere of the future off-Broadway smash hit culinary and theatrical event Raging Skillet, the true story of Chef Rossi, the punk-rock caterer, event maestro, and TV star. The reading-with-food-and-drink of "Skillet" will star Judy Gold and Marilyn Sokol and be held at the Theater at the 14th Street Y on March 28, 2018 at 7 pm. Tickets can be purchased at www.jewishplaysproject.org/skillet

Raging Skillet is one woman's story of cooking her way through some of life's biggest challenges in New York City's most unlikely kitchens. As the rebel caterer parties at the launch event for her new tell-all book, her Orthodox Jewish mother shows up unannounced - twenty years after she died - and nudges her into a reckoning with her rebellious past, her time with a Hassidic community in Brooklyn, and the real meaning of a Jewish home.

Skillet comes to New York after a sold-out run last summer at Hartford, CT's Theaterworks, adapted from Chef Rossi's best-selling memoir of the same name by Jacques Lamarre, whose previous culinary hit I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti charmed theater-and-food-lovers around the country. The staged reading will be directed by John Simpkins with sound by Julian Evàns, costumes by Blair Gulledge and lighting by Joshua Benghiat. .

"I was signing books at the Javits Center when this guy comes up and says 'I want to turn your book into a play'" says Rossi, with her trademark laugh. "I said, 'Go for it!' It's been a blast ever since."

Judy Gold (25 Questions for a Jewish Mother) is the perfect star for this show. Fresh off both her role in the all-female Taming of the Shrew at Shakespeare in the Park and her appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert", the host of the podcast KILL ME NOW connects deeply with the idea of a self-made Jewish lesbian making it in a cutthroat New York business.

"When I read Rossi's book and Jacques' play, three things happened - I laughed like crazy, I got really hungry, and I said 'GET ME Judy Gold!'," said Mr. Winitsky. "At its core, its about how we struggle with our traditions to find something that's uniquely our own. That resonates with Judy, with me, and with tons of audiences. This play is going to have a great future, and the JPP is here to support that."

The performance on March 28 will be a benefit to celebrate the Jewish Plays Project's new Board of Directors, and to support the 7th OPEN: Festival of New Jewish Theater. Chef Rossi is donating the food and drink that will be served during and after the performance. VIP guests are invited to a special pre-show reception with the Rossi and Ms. Gold. Tickets are $50, or $75 for the reception and show.

Donations in support of the JPP can be made at www.jewishplaysproject.org/donate, and artists and communities interested in working with the JPP can visit www.jewishplaysproject.org/work.

ABOUT THE JEWISH PLAYS PROJECT:

The Jewish Plays Project puts bold, progressive Jewish conversations on world stages. The JPP's innovative and competitive development vehicle invests emerging artists in their Jewish identity; engages Jewish communities in the vetting, selecting and championing of new voices; and secures mainstream production opportunities for the best new plays. In six years, the JPP has vetted 1,132 plays from 884 writers in 32 states and 9 countries. The JPP's signature method is Jewish Dramaturgy: matching the best minds in the Jewish community with the best 21st Century Jewish plays.

The JPP has actively developed 48 plays, 26 of which have gone on to production in New York, London, Tel Aviv and around the U.S. Notable JPP artists include Robert Askins (Hand to God); David Hein and Irene Sankoff (Come from Away), Marc Bruni (Beautiful), Mimi Leiber (Indecent), and Willie Holzman (Wicked). Even more importantly, the JPP has supported the work of next-generation playwrights like Lauren Yee, Sarah Gancher, MJ Kaufman, Susan Bernfield, and Cary Gitter; directors Benjamin Kamine, Pirronne Yousefzadeh and Jessi Hill; and actors Alex Mandell (The Play That Went Wrong), Andrea Syglowski (Queens at LCT), and Jess Barbagallo (Harry Potter).

ABOUT CHEF ROSSI:

As the catering director, owner and executive chef of "The Raging Skillet", a cutting-edge catering company known for breaking any and all rules, she has earned a reputation as the one to call when it's time to do something different. "I like to think of myself as the anti-chef," says Rossi, "no pretension, no complicated recipes, just fun, fast and fabulous food." Rossi, who credits America as her home town, grew up in a camper wedged on the top of a Ford pick-up truck and had visited most of the United States by the time she was 10 years old. Her wacky sense of humor and international food fusions reflect her Hungarian Yiddish background and her love of all things loaded with flavor. "I think I was the only kid in high-school who had a Yiddish/ Jersey/ Southern accent", says Rossi... "and a passion for Tandoori Chicken."

· The Zagat's Guide has called Rossi "the wildest thing this side of the Mason Dixon Line."

· The New York Times has called Rossi, "a new breed of rebel anti-caterer."

· Go Magazine has voted Rossi "one of the 100 women we love!"

ABOUT Judy Gold:

Judy Gold has had stand-up specials on HBO, Comedy Central and LOGO, and written and starred in two critically acclaimed, Off-Broadway hit shows: The Judy Show - My Life as a Sitcom (Outer Critics Circle Nomination), and 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother (GLAAD Media Award - Outstanding NY Theater, Drama Desk Nomination - Actor). This summer, Judy received rave reviews in The Public Theater's all female production of The Taming of The Shrew for Shakespeare in the Park. Judy recently appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and can be seen on the new Showtime series I'm Dying Up Here, and Netflix's Friends From College. She has recurring roles on Pop TV's NightCap!, and TBS's, Search Party. Her most recent TV appearances include guest-starring roles on Louie, Broad City, Friends From College, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Inside Amy Schumer, Difficult People, 30 Rock, 2 Broke Girls, Melissa & Joey, The Big C, and She also won two Emmy awards for writing and producing, The Rosie O'Donnell Show. Currently, Judy is the host of the hit podcast Kill Me Now on CBS' play.it and iTunes.Find her at JudyGold.com and follow her on Twitter - @jewdygold