A Reading Of Richard Alleman's ADRIFT To Benefit NYC's Actors In Need

The Episcopal Actors' Guild (EAG) presents a one-night-only online benefit reading of Richard Alleman's award-winning dystopian drama Adrift, June 11, at 7:00 P.M. (EDT). All proceeds from this reading, directed by Guild Council Member Anthony Newfield, will go to the charitable programs of The Episcopal Actors' Guild, which has been providing emergency financial assistance and career support to NYC's professional performing artists of all faiths, and none, since 1923.

Featuring two-time Tony nominee Alison Fraser (Secret Garden, Romance/Romance) along with Glauco Araujo, Karen Archer, and Anthony Newfield, Adrift exposes a day in the life of a wealthy WASP couple trying to escape the horrors of a dystopian world by living full-time aboard an ultra-luxurious cruise ship-turned-condo colony.

"When the pandemic struck and theatres closed and TV and film production shut down, actors lost their livelihood. Many were in desperate need of help. Richard and I wanted to put our creativity to work to help those in need," says actor/director Anthony Newfield. Newfield has been a member of EAG since 1978 and has served on EAG's Council since 1999.

"I've been intrigued by the ads for cruise ships that cater to the super-rich who own their accommodations and live on board year-round," says playwright Richard Alleman. "Like a floating gated community, these ships promise luxurious insulation from the real world outside. But what would it be like living on one-especially in a dystopian world? I tried to explore that possibility in Adrift."

This short play was originally produced at the 2019 New York Frigid Festival by Poked Bear Theater. Asya Gorovits, writing in Theater is Easy, lauded Alleman in her review of the play's Frigid Festival run saying that he "uses his various verbal weapons skillfully," wielding "absurdist horror" to go "mercilessly after the ignorant.... I had a great time, laughing while being simultaneously horrified."

Tickets for Adrift start at only $15 and are available now at ticketstripe.com/eag-adrift. The link to access the live Zoom event will be emailed to all ticketholders. Only 100 tickets are available for this exclusive online event.

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