NY Assemblyman, TED Talk Resident and NY Cares Director Set for Talk Back at ROUGHLY SPEAKING

Shara Ashley Zeiger's Roughly Speaking, a new play with rap based on over 200 interviews with New York City's homeless, is hosting a powerful talk back on Sunday, November 6th after the show.

New York State Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi who also serves on the Mayor's task force for the homeless, TED Talk Resident and head of Miracle Messages Kevin F. Adler, and Gary Bagley Executive Director of New York Cares join forces to engage audiences and have a meaningful discussion on homelessness, the state of NY's crisis, and the realities depicted in the play. Moderated by NY City Center's Kimberly Olsen, this will be an exciting meeting of the minds not to be missed.

"The talkbacks are a natural extension of the play," explained Zeiger. "Just as Roughly Speaking humanizes the homeless, the talkbacks allow for a deeper discussion, to continue the conversation, a third act if you will."

Conceived and produced by The Platform Group, in cooperation with Xavier Mission's Welcome Table Soup Kitchen, Roughly Speaking will be presented at Tada, located at 15 West 28 Street through November 20. Proceeds from the show will go to buy backpacks for the NYC Homeless. Prior to opening night Platform invited the homeless guests of the soup kitchen that served as the source material for the show to a special invited dress rehearsal just for them. Those that attended were amazed at seeing themselves portrayed on stage.

The Roughly Speaking cast features Franz Jones* (Broadway's Big River), Danny Bolero* (Broadway's In the Heights & Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat), Christopher Michael McLamb*, Steven J. Michel*, Michael Twaine* (European Tour of West Side Story), Madeline McCray*, Troy Valjean Rucker* (National Tour, Jesus Christ Superstar), Shara Ashley Zeiger* and Joanie Anderson. (* - Member of Actors' Equity)

Roughly Speaking will be directed by Celine Rosenthal (Broadway's Leap of Faith & Seminar). Set Design is by Jonathan Wetjen. Lighting Design is by Sophie Talmadge Silleck. Costume Design is by Shirlee Idzakovich. Stage Manager is Megan Roberts*. Assistant Stage Manager/Sound Designer is Ari Grossman. Assistant Director is Benjamin Abraham. Dramaturg is Nancy Kelly.

The full list of talkback participants for Roughly Speaking is available on www.ThePlatformGroup.org.

Roughly Speaking presents a look into the world we walk by through the eyes of Lightning Bolt, a rapper bound only by his wheelchair and a cast of diverse characters on a not so typical day at the soup kitchen. An existential struggle of survival begs questions of love, loss, and what's next. Roughly Speaking is a drama with rap about those trying to find a way out, juxtaposed by those trying to find a way in.

Show times for Roughly Speaking are Wednesday-Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm. There will be an additional performance on Monday, November 14 at 8pm and no performance on Wednesday, November 16. All tickets are $25.00, with $3.00 from each ticket sold going towards purchasing backpacks for the homeless. Reservations: 212-868-4444 or www.theplatformgroup.org. The approximate running time of the show is 90 minutes.

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