Gingold Theatrical Group To Present Oscar Wilde's THE PORTRAIT OF MR. W.H. As Part Of Project Shaw

Gingold Theatrical Group will conclude the 19th season of Project Shaw with Oscar Wilde's The Portrait of W.H. Inspired by the works of George Bernard Shaw, Project Shaw is a special series of Script-In-Hand performances that aim to provoke peaceful discussion and activism. Each performance is followed by a lively post-show discussion with the cast and director. Directed by Mark Waldrop, The Portrait of Mr. W.H. will be presented at Symphony Space's Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre on Monday June 24, 2024, at 7PM.

The cast of The Portrait of Mr. W.H. will feature Charles Busch (Ibsen's Ghost: An Irresponsible Biographical Fantasy), Jay O. Sanders (Purlie Victorious), Thom Sesma (Dead Outlaw), A.J. Shively (Philadelphia, Here I Come!).

Oscar Wilde's notorious short story The Portrait of Mr. W.H. theorizes who Shakespeare might truly have written his infamous Sonnets about. In Wilde's hands, the inspiration for the world's most famous poems is a beautiful young actor in Shakespeare's company. A portrait has been found! Can it be the young man? In attempting to prove this theory, a pair of men face their most secret fears and even death. Gingold's David Staller has adapted this short story to celebrate the kickoff of New York City Pride Week.

The reading will be followed by a musical soirée championing the power of free thought and diversity, featuring Machine Dazzle and additional surprise guests with musical direction by Ed Goldschneider.

According to David Staller, “Though Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw were contemporaries from Dublin, Wilde was from a wealthy aristocratic family, educated at all the best schools, and arrived in London with every possible social advantage. Shaw, on the other hand, was poor, self-educated, and socially unconnected. Both together and independently they made great strides in creating what we now know as Modern English Drama. They inspired and challenged each other. Shaw helped finance Wilde's legal defense against charges of gross indecency and was determined to keep Wilde's name alive after the trial. The Portrait of Mr. W.H. was considered particularly shocking at the time and we are delighted to share it to honour NYC Pride Week.”

Mark Waldrop (Director/Lyricist). Directed Bette Midler's Divine Miss Millenium Tour. Broadway:  Bea Arthur, Just Between Friends (2002 Tony Award nomination, Unique Theatrical Event). Off-Broadway:  direction, book and lyrics for Howard Crabtree's When Pigs Fly (Drama Desk Award, Outer Critic's Circle Award, OBIE); Not That Jewish, Pete‘n' Keely, Whatnot (Richard Rodgers Production Award) and many others. Nightclub and concert appearances for many great performers, including Sutton Foster and Brooke Shields. Winner of the Ed Kleban Award for lyric writing, he's the longtime writer and lyricist of the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.

All Project Shaw readings will be presented in a concert-reading format at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater at Symphony Space. Tickets are $40 and will be available for purchase by calling 212-864-5400 or visiting www.symphonyspace.org. Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre is an accessible space. Infra-red hearing devices will also be available. 

Now celebrating its 19th year, Gingold Theatrical Group's Project Shaw made history in December 2009 as the first company ever to present performances of every one of Shaw's 65 plays, including full-length works, one-acts and sketches. Project Shaw also presents plays by writers who share Shaw's activist socio-political views and embrace human rights and free speech, including Anton Chekhov, Henrik Ibsen, Elizabeth Robins, Rachel Crothers, Arthur Wing Pinero, Oscar Wilde, James Matthew Barrie, and Harley Granville-Barker. GTG's other programs include its new play development and educational programs. For those interested in lively off-site discourses, each Project Shaw event is followed by a talk-back with cast members. This script-in-hand series is also a direct link to Gingold's SPEAKERS' CORNER New Play Development Program, dedicated to creating new plays inspired by these classic works of theatrical activism.

GTG's recent highly acclaimed Off-Broadway engagement of Shaw's Arms and the Man will be streamed online later this year.

 
For more information about Project Shaw and all the programs at Gingold Theatrical Group, call 212-355-7823, email info@gingoldgroup.org, or visit gingoldgroup.org.

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