THE WHITE CHIP Off-Broadway Cast Will Perform a Live Reading Benefit Dedicated To Terrence McNally

The original Off-Broadway cast of The White Chip will perform a live reading of Artistic Director Sean Daniels' play about his unusual path to sobriety as a fundraiser for The Voices Project, a grassroots recovery advocacy organization, and Arizona Theatre Company.

The benefit performance will be broadcast live at 5 p.m. (Pacific Time) / 8 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday, May 11 simultaneously on Arizona Theatre Company's Facebook page(@ArizonaTheatreCompany) and YouTube channel.

The performance is free, but viewers are welcome to donate what they can. The performance will then be available for four days afterwards through ATC's website and YouTube channel. All donations will be divided equally between the two organizations.

A New York TimesCritics' Pick, The White Chip was last staged Off-Broadway at 59E59 Theaters in New York City, from Oct. 4 - 26, 2019. Tony Award-nominated director Sheryl Kaller, Tony Award-winning sound designer Leon Rothenberg and the original Off-Broadway cast (Joe Tapper, Genesis Oliver, Finnerty Steeves) will return for the reading.

The Off-Broadway production was co-produced with Tony Award-winning producers Tom Kirdahy (Little Shop of Horrors, Hadestown) and Hunter Arnold (Little Shop of Horrors, Hadestown).

The reading will be dedicated to five-time Tony Award-winning recipient, playwright and librettist Terrence McNally (Ragtime, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class).

"It's a challenging time for people in recovery, who used the same tools as theatre - gathering in a space with strangers to feel less alone - to stay healthy and connected," said ATC Artistic Director and playwright Sean Daniels. "Now they simply can't do the thing that has been a cornerstone to staying healthy, and in many cases, staying alive. So, as a theater that is a civic leader, and a cast that was blown away by the response of the theater community and the recovery community, we wanted to figure out how we can help."

The New York Times wrote that The White Chip achieves"a delicate equilibrium between laugh-out-loud comedy and gasp-inducing, self-inflicted tragedy." Reviewer Laura Collins-Hughes went on to say: "Plays save lives in all kinds of ways. I would bet that Sean Daniels's addiction-and-recovery comedy "The White Chip" ... has, and will."

A dry comedy about drying out, The White Chip follows Steven (Joe Tapper) on a wild theatrical journey to recovery. Steps away from his dream job running one of the hottest theaters in the country, Steven quickly spirals out of control from his place on top of the world to rock bottom. From first sip to first love, critical hit to critical care, he carves an unusual path to sobriety.

Genesis Oliver and Finnerty Steeves will both read multiple roles including Steven's father and Steven's mother.

Daniels said: "The Voices Project is helping change the way America thinks about recovery through the experiences of those who know its challenges and benefits better than anyone. I'm inspired by Ryan Hampton, who created this project, every day, and it's an honor to play a small part in his mission to destigmatize addiction."

For more information about the Arizona Theatre Company, visitwww.arizonatheatre.org. For more information about The Voices Project, visitwww.voicesriseup.org.