Michael Cerveris, Phoebe Strole, et al. Set for SCHOOLED Reading Tonight

The New Ohio Theatre presents an industry reading of the new play Schooled, written by Lisa Lewis and directed by Oliver Butler, starring Michael Cerveris, Phoebe Strole, James Kautz and Mara Davi, with dramaturgy by Matthew Schneider. The reading will take place today, November 15 at 8pm at the New Ohio Theatre, located at 154 Christopher Street, between Greenwich and Washington Streets in New York City.

Claire, a broke but ambitious young writer, tries to persuade her roguish professor to give her a grant that could jumpstart her career, but his interest in her prompts Claire's privileged boyfriend to suspect she's using more than her talent to get the award they both deserve. Full of devastating desires, loaded glances and surprising humor, Schooled is an examination of the lies we tell ourselves, and the truths we refuse to believe.

Lisa Lewis is a playwright, essayist and storyteller. Her essays, profiles and book reviews have appeared in The New York Times, ELLE Magazine, Kirkus Reviews, New York Press and Biography MagazinE. Lewis' essays have been written about by The New Yorker, Gawker and The Washington Post. Her live storytelling performances have been recognized by NY-1 News, which called her "a rising voice in the world of literature, comedy and theater." She spent six years performing coverage and screenplay development notes for New Line Cinema and was a long-time reader and analyst for Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal at Tribeca Productions. Lewis is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Dramatic Writing Program. She can be found online at http://www.LisaLewisWriting.com.

Oliver Butler is a founding member and co-Artistic Director of The Debate Society and has directed and toured with the company. In New York, Butler has directed the world premieres of The Lapsburgh Layover, Buddy Cop 2, Cape Disappointment, Goodbye New York, Goodbye Heart, The Eaten Heart, The Snow Hen, Red-HairEd Thomas, Hostage Song, A Thought About Raya, You're Welcome and Christmas with the Flamingos. He was the Assistant Artistic Director of The Berkshire Theatre Festival where he directed The Einstein Project and This is our Youth. With the other members of The Debate Society, he is a Sundance Institute Fellow.

Michael Cerveris is a four-time Tony Award nominee, and winner for Assassins. Cerveris' Broadway credits include the upcoming Evita, In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), Hedda Gabler and Sweeny Todd. He has appeared on TV on Fox's "Fringe" and on HBO's "Treme." Cerveris has toured with Bob Mould and Pete Townshend and released a solo album, Dog Eared. He is currently working on a musical, Nine Lives, based on Dan Baum's best-selling post-Hurricane Katrina book.

Phoebe Strole appeared on Broadway in the original cast of Spring Awakening. Her other credits include The Metal Children (Vineyard Theatre), Mourning Becomes Electra (The New Group), Parade (Mark Taper Forum), A Different Moon (Penguin Rep) and Girls I've Like Liked (Ars Nova, Comedy Central Stage in LA). Her film and television work includes Hamlet 2, "30 Rock" and "Rescue Me."

James Kautz's theatre credits include Adam Rapp's The Hallway Trilogy (Rattlestick) and Rapp's Ghosts in the Cottonwoods (The Amoralists). His other credits with The Amoralists include The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side, Happy in the Poorhouse and Amerissiah. Kautz is the Artistic Director and co-founder of The Amoralists Theatre Company and a proud member of The Other Campaign.

Mara Davi has been seen on Broadway in Irving Berlin's White Christmas, The Drowsy Chaperone and A Chorus Line (Original Revival Cast). Her Off-Broadway credits include Death Takes a Holiday (Roundabout Theatre) and Give Me Up (Baryshnikov Arts Center). Regionally, she's performed at the Goodman Theatre, The Old Globe and Sacramento Music Circus. Davi can be seen on TV's "Blue Bloods."

Matthew Schneider's (Dramaturg) performance credits include national tours and regional productions of White Christmas, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and 42nd Street. His directing work includes Sacramento's New Helvetia Theatre's inaugural production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and My Way in Annapolis, Maryland. Schneider completed a directorial observership with Glenn Casale, the Artistic Director of Sacramento Music Circus/California Musical Theater.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos