Jesse Berger - Red Bull Theater Founder and Artistic Director, Jim Bredeson - Red Bull Managing Director, and the Board of Trustees of Red Bull Theater today announced that the Twelfth Annual Running of the Red Bulls Gala Benefit scheduled for Monday March 30th would be cancelled. The event would have celebrated the company's 17th Season and honored Kate Burton, André De Shields, and Theatre Development Fund with the 2020 Matador Awards for Excellence in Classical Theater.
"As the situation around the novel coronavirus continues to develop, we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety and health of every member of the Red Bull Theater community. Communities around the globe are facing unprecedented challenges as COVID-19 continues to spread. Therefore, given this public health threat, we are canceling this year's Running of the Red Bull Gala Benefit. Our decision was made out of an abundance of caution and with the well-being of our entire community in mind, and as New York is under a state of emergency as of last Saturday. We were of course looking forward to celebrating
Kate Burton, André De Shields and TDF at this festive event. Over the coming months, we will find another way for all of us to celebrate these three honorees and their dynamic contributions to classical theater," said Mr. Berger.
"This annual event is Red Bull Theater's most important fundraiser. The funds raised through this event are essential to our ability to fulfill our mission of bringing rarely seen classic plays to dynamic new life for today's audiences. In this time of uncertainty, the generous support of our audiences and donors is more important than ever and we are grateful for it. Cancelling the event is unfortunate, but we believe that it is in the best interest of all involved and our entire community, " said Mr. Bredeson.
Additionally, the Revelation Reading of Ana Caro's The Courage To Right A Woman's Wrongs (Valor, agravio y mujer), scheduled for this Monday, March 16th, will be postponed and rescheduled for next season.
Remaining on schedule for this Spring: Red Bull's next mainstage production of the season will be The Alchemist by
Jeffrey Hatcher adapted from
Ben Jonson, directed by
Jesse Berger. This will be the World Premiere of a Red Bull Theater commission from the same team that created the acclaimed hit The Government Inspector. Following recent acclaimed productions of
Keith Hamilton Cobb's American Moor,
Erica Schmidt's Mac Beth,
John Webster's The White Devil, and
David Ives's The Metromaniacs, The Alchemist brings the greed and absurdity of Jonson's Jacobean London to brilliant contemporary life in this brand new adaptation by
Jeffrey Hatcher, whose version of inane corruption à la Gogol delighted New York audiences in The Government Inspector. Performances begin in May at the
Lucille Lortel Theatre. Cast and design team will be announced shortly.
For refunds or more information about Running of the Red Bulls Gala Benefit, Monday's Revelation Reading, or any of Red Bull Theater's productions and programs, visit
Redbulltheater.com or call 212/343-7394.
Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos
