Penn State Centre Stage Virtual Presents Marc Palmieri's Live New Play

Penn State Centre Stage Virtual will present Marc Palmieri's live new play, "Streaming Passion"-a comedic tale about the Passion Play being rehearsed via Zoom-on Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m. EDT. The live performance can be viewed at theatre.psu.edu/PSCSVIRTUAL.

"Streaming Passion" is about a church group that performs its parish's annual Passion Play for Lent each year, but because of the coronavirus they have to do it via Zoom. This play is about their rehearsal. According to Penn State Centre Stage Artistic Director Rick Lombardo, the play is reminiscent of the farcical "Noises Off" in that it features a "play within a play."

When looking for a new play that would fit this new world of streaming Robert Lewis Vaughan, Director of Professional Rights at Dramatists Play Service, connected Lombardo to Marc Palmieri, who had just completed this play for Zoom.

"I was looking for something we could produce virtually, and when I found Marc's play, it was perfect, given the timing and the content," said Lombardo. "This will be incredibly exciting and dangerous because this is something that we've never done before-performing live via Zoom. During these uncertain times, theatre is more important than ever, and we are excited to provide this funny play as an escape and an alternative to live theatre."

The cast includes AEA actor Steven Snyder, AEA/SAG actor Rachel Harker, M.F.A. Acting alumni Gabriel Peña (AEA) and Julia Chereson, former Arts and Architecture Dean Barbara Korner, and senior B.F.A. Acting student Cole Harris.