Nathan Lane and Debra Messing to Lead Benefit Readings of Short Plays by Wesley Taylor This Fall

Stage stars Tony winner Nathan Lane and Emmy winner Debra Messing -- an odd pair but a fun choice -- are teaming up for BRIDGING THE GAP AND OTHER SHORT PLAYS BY WESLEY TAYLOR to benefit The Actors Fund.

The duo will be part of an evening of readings of six new short plays by actor/playwright Taylor (ROCK OF AGES, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, NBC's SMASH) on October 26 at New World Stages' Gerald W. Lynch Theatre.

The six 10-minute plays include: "Bridging the Gap"; "Spark"; "Mother"; "Cuckold"; "Little Monsters"; and "Billy Green Auditions for Juilliard."

The director, host and additional cast members will be announced at a later date. All cast members are subject to change.

Lane recently finished his run in Broadway's IT'S ONLY A PLAY. He was nominated for a Tony in 2013 for his performance in THE NANCE. Among his other Broadway credits are THE ADDAMS FAMILY, WAITING FOR GODOT, BUTLEY, THE ODD COUPLE, THE FROGS, THE PLAY WHAT I WROTE, THE PRODUCERS (which won him a Tony in 2001), THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (another Tony in 1996), LOVE!, VALOUR!, COMPASSION!, LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR, GUYS AND DOLLS and more.

Messing, who last starred opposite Taylor in NBC's musical drama SMASH, is well known for her role in the long-running sitcom WILL & GRACE. She currently stars in the TV series THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA. The actress last appeared on Broadway in OUTSIDE MULLINGAR and has also taken the stage in off-Broadway's COLLECTED STORIES, THE NAKED TRUTH and FOUR DOGS AND A BONE.

For more about the event, go to actorsfund.org.