Chazz Palminteri Stars in a Staged Reading Of IF YOU LOVE ME at The Actors Studio This Weekend

This weekend, The Actors Studio, located at 432 West 44th Street, will open its doors to the public for a staged reading of If You Love Me, a staged reading of a new play by Lyle Kessler (Orphans). Directed by Academy Award winner Bobby Moresco, Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri (Bullets Over Broadway, A Bronx Tale) leads a cast featuring Gabe Furman, Kathleen Simmonds and Connor Chase Stewart.

If You Love Me is a dark comedy that pushes the boundaries of human behavior. Passion, violence and love in this wild dark roller coaster of emotions.

With this special, free event, The Actors Studio continues its 75th Anniversary celebration as the world's most celebrated and influential membership association for professional actors, directors and playwrights.

While the event is free and open to the public, reservations are required. To reserve you seats, visit www.TheActorsStudio.org/75KesslerReading. For more information about The Actors Studio, visit TheActorsStudio.org.

Chazz Palminteri has appeared in over 60 films. To name a few - The Usual Suspects, Analyze This, Mulholland Falls, Jade, Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, Legend, and Bullets over Broadway, which he was nominated for an Academy Award. Palminteri wrote the screenplay for the film A Bronx Tale, adapted from his play, and then most recently wrote the book for the Broadway Musical. It was the first time in history that the same actor wrote the one-man play, the movie, and the Broadway Musical and starred in each one. He has starred in over 20 television series and has won 3 Emmy's. Chazz is most recently seen in "Modern Family," "Godfather of Harlem," "Law & Order" and "Gravesend."

Lyle Kessler (Playwright) is the author of the internationally acclaimed play "Orphans" which recently received two Tony nominations for the Broadway revival starring Alec Baldwin and Ben Foster. Albert Finney won the Olivier Award in London's West End production and Al Pacino and Jesse Eisenberg are among other notables who have appeared in various productions. "Orphans" will have a West End Revival in London's Trafalgar Theater next Season. Other plays include, "The Watering Place," Collision," Possession," "Robbers," "First Born," "Unlisted" and "Perp." His drama "The Great Divide" received the L.A. Times Critic's Pick. Films include "Orphans," "Gladiator," "The Saint of Fort Washington" and "Touched," written and co-starring Mr. Kessler. As an actor he co-starred with Bruce Dern in the Philadelphia premiere of "Waiting for Godot." He studied acting with Lee Strasberg and actually played him in Mark Rydell's film "James Dean," starring James Franco.

Bobby Moresco (Director) is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio. He began his work with the Studio in 1983 after being invited into the playwright directors unit by his good friend Roscoe Lee Browne. He has written or directed plays on Broadway, off Broadway, and throughout Los Angeles for much of the last 45 years. His work in television includes critically acclaimed shows such as EZ Streets, Falcone and The Black Donnellys. His work in film as a writer, director, or producer, includes the academy award winning Crash and Million Dollar Baby as well as his latest movie Lamborghini starring, Gabriel Byrne, Frank Grillo, and Mira Sorvino.

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