Kathleen Turner Stars In RED HOT PATRIOT: THE KICK-ASS WIT OF MOLLY IVINS In NYC

TSG Theatricals announces the developmental reading of "Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins" by Allison and Margaret Engel at the Tony Kiser Theater on Monday, November 5 at 7pm.

"Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins" comes to New York City after hit runs across the nation for a one night only developmental reading. Written by sisters Allison and Margaret Engel, "Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins" celebrates the wit and wisdom of the renowned newspaper columnist and political commentator. Acclaimed director David Esbjornson returns to direct the New York City reading.

Reprising her critically-acclaimed portrayal of the brassy, adroit newspaper columnist Molly Ivins is two-time Tony nominee and Academy Award nominee Kathleen Turner. With her iconic voice that "could smite a filibuster," Turner captivated audiences in Philadelphia, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and Berkeley. Now, a select number of New York City theater fans will witness her return to the role of the pioneer female journalist in this exclusive reading.

All ticket sales will benefit the National Partnership for Women and Families.

"The National Partnership is excited to be part of this benefit reading of 'Red Hot Patriot,'" says Debra Ness, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families, "Every day the Partnership fights for the rights of women and their families to live with dignity and equality. Part of that fight is shaping our culture and the role of women in it. The arts play an important part in lifting up the stories of sheroes like Molly Ivins who have helped to make our country more fair and just."

Invitations to the one night only event are extended through Show-Score.

"Theater fans crave one-of-a-kind experiences like this," says Show-Score Founder and CEO Tom Melcher. "We're thrilled that TSG Theatricals extended such an exclusive invitation to the Show-Score community and we're already hearing a lot of buzz and excitement from our members about this show."

"Red Hot Patriot" is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. General Management is by Brierpatch Productions.

Kathleen Turner (Molly Ivins) has garnered critical acclaim for her performances in movies including Body Heat, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe; "Romancing The Stone" and "Prizzi's Honor," which earned her a Golden Globe Award for each; "Peggy Sue Got Married," which brought Turner both an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe nomination; and "War of the Roses," and yet another Golden Globe nomination. Turner's extensive film credits also include "The Man with Two Brains," with Steve Martin; "Jewel of the Nile," with Michael Douglas; "The Accidental Tourist"; "V.I. Warshawski"; John Waters' "Serial Mom"; "Naked in New York"; "Moonlight and Valentino"; "The Real Blonde"; and Sofia Coppola's "The Virgin Suicides." Ms. Turner has also starred on Broadway in "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof," for which she received a Tony nomination for Best Actress; "Indiscretions"; "The Graduate"; and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf", for which she received a second Tony nomination for Best Actress. More recently, Ms. Turner had a major recurring role playing the role of Sue Collini on Showtime's hit series, "Californication" as well as the starring role in an independent film called "The Perfect Family." More recently on stage, Ms Turner starred as Molly Ivins in "Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins" at Philadelphia Theater Center, The Geffen in LA and Arena Stage in DC. She also starred on Broadway as a nun in "High" and took the show on tour for some of 2011 and 2012. In 2014 she starred in one of her most challenging roles as Mother Courage in "Mother Courage and Her Children" at Arena Stage. Her most recent film, "Dumb & Dumber To" with Jim Carey and Jeff Daniels was in theaters in 2014 and made nearly $200 million dollars worldwide. In 2015 she starred opposite Ian McDiarmid in "Bakersfield Mist" in the West End and following that she went to Berkeley Rep to do the Molly Ivins play. Last year she was back at Arena Stage performing in Joan Didion's "The Year of Magical Thinking." Ms. Turner has recently expanded her repertoire with the development of her first cabaret performance, "Finding My Voice," which debuted in Philadelphia in the Fall of 2017, followed by a run in London at The Other Palace Theatre and a tour of the UK, and will continue in selected cities across the country including her most recent engagement at the legendary Cafe Carlyle in New York City.

In addition to her film and stage credits, Turner wrote of her many accomplishments and life experiences in her 2008 autobiography titled, "Send Yourself Roses: Thoughts on my Life, Love, and Leading Roles," which secured a position on the New York Times Best-Seller List and which she recently recorded as an audio book. Her most recent work includes the publication of her new book, "Kathleen Turner on Acting." Lastly, Ms. Turner is also a director and activist, particularly for women's health and finds it rewarding to teach master classes.

David Esbjornson (Director) Directing premieres include: "The Glass Menagerie" (Shanghai, China) "Confederacy of Dunces" Jeff Hatcher (Huntington) "At Wits End the Erma Bombeck Story" (Arena Stage, Cincinatti Playhouse) "The Outsider" by Paul Slade Smith, (Paper Mill Playhouse), "Driving Miss Daisy" by Alfred Uhry, (Broadway, London and Australia), Edward Albee's "The Goat or Who is Sylvia?" (Broadway) and the "Play About the Baby" (Century), Arthur Miller's "The Ride Down Mt. Morgan" (Broadway) and "Resurrection Blues" (Guthrie), the world premiere of Tony Kushner's "Angels in America: Millennium Approaches" and the first staged presentation of "Perestroika" (Eureka) and "Homebody/Kabul" (London), The Great Gatsby (The Guthrie Inaugural Production), Neal Bell's "Therese Raquin" (CSC), "In the Blood" by Suzan-Lori Parks (Public), "Tuesdays With Morrie" by Mitch Albom and Jeffrey Hatcher (Minetta Lane), Neil Simon's "Rose and Walsh" (Geffen) "My Old Lady" by Israel Horovitz (Promenade) and Ariel Dorfman's "Purgatorio" (SRT), Moira Buffini's "Gabriel" and Peter Parnell's "Trumpery" (Atlantic), "Molly Ivins: Red Hot Patriot" (Arena Stage, The Geffen, Philadelphia Theatre Company and Berkeley Rep) Revivals include: "Lady From Dubuque" (Signature Inaugural Production NYC) "Death of a Salesman" (The Gate, Dublin), "Hamlet" (Theatre For A New Audience), "Measure for Measure" and "Much Ado About Nothing" (NYSF in Central Park), "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "Summer and Smoke" (Guthrie), "The Normal Heart" (Public), "Twelfth Night", "Mud" and "Drowning" (Signature), "A Few Good Men" (London West End), "Endgame", "The Maids", "Entertaining Mr. Sloane", "The Entertainer" (Classic Stage Company) and "Farmyard" (NY Theatre Workshop). David has been the Artistic Director of NYC Classic Stage Company and Seattle Repertory Theatre and is currently chair of Rutgers 3.5 Theatre Program. Awards include: OBIE's for Outstanding Direction-"Hamlet" and "Therese Raquin", What's On Stage Award (London) for "Driving Miss Daisy", Lucille Lortel Awards for "Entertaining Mr. Sloane" and Classic Stage Company "Body of Work", "Lady From Dubuque" nomination Best Revival, Drama Desk nominations for "Endgame", "Iphigenia and Other Daughters" and "Lady From Dubuque", 2015 IRNE Award Best Director, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", Drama League Nominations for "The Entertainer" and "Play About the Baby", LA Critics Award-"Equivocation", Cab Calloway nomination for "The Normal Heart", Friends of NY Theatre Best Director for "The Ride Down Mt. Morgan", Seven Bay Area Critics Awards-"Angels in America", Seven CT Critics Awards for "Dealers Choice", TCG Directing Fellowship, NYTW-New Director's Project, Quinn Martin Honorary Chair-U of CSD, Distinguished Alumni- Gustavus Adolphus College

Allison Engel (Playwright) has been a reporter for the Des Moines Tribune, San Jose Mercury and Pacific News Service, and was a Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University. After writing Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins, which has had numerous Equity productions coast to coast, she and her twin sister Margaret then wrote Erma Bombeck: At Wit's End, which was also published by Samuel French and has had dozens of productions in the U.S. and Canada. She was a speechwriter for the Iowa governor and lt. governor before spending five years as director of communications at the University of Southern California, and then the associate director of the Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities. She received an MA in screenwriting from USC, and is a lifetime member of The Dramatists Guild.

Margaret Engel (Playwright) directs the Alicia Patterson Journalism Foundation and was the managing editor of the Newseum. She was a reporter for The Washington Post, Des Moines Register and Lorain Journal and was a Nieman fellow at Harvard University. She and her twin sister wrote Food Finds: America's Best Local Foods and the People Who Produce Them, and helped turn the book into a show for Food Network, where it ran for seven years. She has served on the board of Theatre Washington/Helen Hayes Awards, the Fund for Investigative Journalism and chairs the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards Board. She has co-written three editions of a travel guide to America's baseball parks, and a new book on thrifted fashion. She is a lifetime member of The Dramatists Guild.

ABOUT THE SEELIG GROUP

The Seelig Group ("TSG") is a private media and entertainment investment, production and advisory firm founded in 2012, which manages both TSG Theatricals and TSG Entertainment. TSG Theatricals is a Production Company that acquires, develops, produces, and presents a broad portfolio of live entertainment with the mission to expand and innovate beyond traditional models. Since 2012, TSG Entertainment has been the exclusive co-financing partner of 20th Century Fox, resulting in a library of 90+ films. TSG Theatricals is managed by Chip Seelig, Jovan Hannah, and Ophelia Chua.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR WOMEN & FAMILIES

The National Partnership for Women & Families was founded in 1971 as the Women's Legal Defense Fund. Today, we promote fairness in the workplace, reproductive health and rights, access to quality, affordable health care, and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family. We believe that actions speak louder than words. And for four decades, we have fought for every major policy advance that has helped women and families. The National Partnership is a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization located in Washington, D.C.