Michael Urie, Patrick Page to Perform at 2017 RUNNING OF THE RED BULLS Benefit Honoring Oscar Isaac

Jesse Berger (Founding Artistic Director) and the Board of Trustees of Red Bull Theater have announced the Ninth Annual RUNNING OF THE RED BULLS BENEFIT on Monday March 27th, at 6pm, celebrating their 14th Season and honoring Oscar Isaac, Olivia Reis, and George Forbes with the 2017 Matador Awards For Excellence in Classical Theater.

With Michael Urie, Patrick Page, and more performing, joined by special guest presenters Emily Bergl, Robert Cuccioli, Paige Davis, Olympia Dukakis, Manoel Felciano, Mark Linn-Baker, Richard Maltby Jr., Kathryn Meisle, Patrick Page, Laila Robins, Reg Rogers Derek Smith, Stephen Spinella, Michael Urie, Nick Westrate, and more, offering an evening of live entertainment, fine dining, and great company at the chic Bowery Hotel (335 Bowery at East 3rd Street) with catering by Gemma.

Begun in 2009, Matador Awards are given annually to recognize individuals or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary Talent, Service, or Significant Achievements in the Classical Theater. Previous honorees have included Patrick Stewart, Lynn Redgrave, Lily Rabe, Martha Plimpton, Hamish Linklater, Olympia Dukakis. Liev Schreiber, and Michael Kahn.

This year Red Bull Theater will honor:

Oscar Isaac - Matador Award for Extraordinary Talent in Classical Theater One of the most respected actors of his generation and well-known for his leading roles in Star Wars and the title role of the Coen Brother's Inside Llewyn Davis, Oscar took the classical stage by storm right out of Juilliard as Romeo opposite Lauren Ambrose's Juliet and as Proteus for Shakespeare in the Park. His upcoming Hamlet, directed by Sam Gold, is one of the most anticipated classical performances of the year.

Olivia Reis - Matador Award for Extraordinary Promise in Classical Theater At age seventeen, Olivia made her professional debut in our celebrated production of Shakespeare's Coriolanus. An alumnae of Red Bull Theater's Master Classes, who has also made her mark at RADA, The Public Theater, Shakespeare & Company, American Shakespeare Center, and more, Olivia is a future star for the classical theater. Presented by Michael Sexton, Shakespeare Society.

George Forbes - George Mayer Matador Award for Extraordinary Service to Classical Theater As Executive Director of the Lucille Lortel Foundation, George and the Lortel Foundation have been integral supporters of Red Bull Theater. Under his direction, the Foundation currently manages the Lucille Lortel Theatre and provides management services to the Cherry Lane Alternative, the Abingdon Theatre Company and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. George is an important advocate for the Off-Broadway theater community. Presented by Gretchen Shugart, Theatermania.

The Running of the Red Bulls Benefit Gala is Red Bull Theater's most significant annual fundraising event. Matador Awards for Excellence are given annually to recognize individuals or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary talent, service, or significant achievements in the Classical Theater. Celebrate Red Bull Theater and its 2016-'17 season, honor super contributors to great classic theater, and be the first to hear about the company's 2017-'18 Season plans.

To order tickets or for more information, visit www.redbulltheater.com or call (212) 343-7394.

Founded in 2003 with a production of Shakespeare's Pericles, Red Bull Theater is dedicated to the exploration and creation of heightened language plays. Named for a notoriously rowdy seventeenth-century London playhouse, and with the Jacobean plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries as our cornerstone, Red Bull Theater engages the intellect and imagination of today's theatergoers through performances of great classic stories from all eras and cultures. Annual programs include Off-Broadway Productions, Revelation Readings, and the Short New Play Festival. The company's outreach programs include free post-play Bull Sessions led by scholars and Master Classes in actor training taught by veteran professionals. In our 14-year history, Red Bull Theater has produced 16 Off-Broadway Productions and nearly 150 Revelation Readings of rarely seen classics, serving over 5,000 artists and providing quality artistic programming to an audience of 75,000. Acclaimed as "the most exciting classical theater in New York" by Time Out NY, the company's unique programming has received ongoing critical acclaim and has been recognized with multiple Lortel, Drama League, Dram Desk, Calloway, Off-Broadway Alliance and OBIE nominations and Awards.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride