Sugar Valley Theatricals Presents MUNCHED Reading to Benefit WORTH Today, 9/9

Sugar Valley Theatricals, Bryan Webster, artistic director, in association with Isaac H. Suggs, Jr., presents a special staged reading performance of MUNCHED by Kim Porter, directed by Petronia Paley, as a benefit for Women on the Rise Telling HerStory (WORTH).

In MUNCHED, a mother is convicted of an unthinkable crime. Twenty-five years later the daughter she's accused of hurting sits outside of her mother's front door with a big box of "why?" Kim Porter's powerful and provocative drama explores issues of reproductive rights, reunification and the impact of parental incarceration. Munched brings voice to the invisibility of women and the trauma experienced by families involved with the criminal justice system.

WORTH is an association of currently and formerly incarcerated women who have been empowered by our own experiences. Through leadership development, organizing, mentoring, mutual support and telling our stories. WORTH transforms the lives of women affected by incarceration and changes public perception and policy.

Support the work of this vital organization by attending the reading today, September 9, 2012, at 4:00pm. Welcoming refreshments will be served at 3:30pm, and a panel discussion and reception will follow the performance.

The reading takes place at Dr. Barbara Anne Teer's National Black Theatre, 2031 Fifth Ave (at 125th Street). Tickets are $25. Click HERE to purchase.

For more about WORTH, visit www.womenontherise-worth.org or find the group on Facebook.

CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM:

Patricia R. Floyd *(MARYBETH PAXTON) is a proud native of Detroit, Michigan.

An accomplished actress and voice-over artist, she is a two-time AUDELCO Award winning in both the categories of acting and directing. She is also three-time Golden Earphones recipient. Her television credits include a recurring role as Judge Rochelle Desmond on Law & Order, appearances on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Rescue Me, The Onion News Network and The Chris Rock Show, as well as films such as 30 Years to Life and Remember Me. Her stage credits include Sojourner Truth in A Woman Called Truth, Ruth in A Raisin in the Sun, Sophie Washington in Flyin' West and an AUDELCO Award for her role as Martha in The American Menu. Formerly the Guest Director in Residence at Stamford Theatre Works, her credits include Luther-Bee-Hatchee, Intimate Apparel, A Walk in the Woods, Medal of Honor Rag, Crumbs from the Table of Joy and A Lesson Before Dying. She has worked as a guest director/teacher at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the New York Film Academy.

Tanya Everett (KATIE PAXTON)

is a proud resident of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn! She came to New York on a prestigious grant from Columbia University. After college she joined the Negro Ensemble Company's workshop, studying with Charles Wheldon. Favorite roles include Rosa Parks in The Rosa Parks Story, Queen Margaret in Richard III and Sylvia in Another Man's Treasure, (short). She most recently starred as the sword-wielding super heroine, Vespa. She played Lottie and various ensemble characters in the New York Workshop of Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, directed by Christopher McElron. Her short film, Boys Like You won Best Men's Short at the North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival this summer. She attended the LAB Intensive Ensemble last summer which allowed her pen to ooze forth. Her original works have received staged readings at the Cherry Lane and Cherry Pit Theaters. She is also collaborating on an original web-series due online in 2013. www.tanyaeverett.com.

ALTHEA ALEXIS* (WOMAN)

Native of Washington, DC, graduate of Howard Universty. Stage credits include, Take Wings and Soar's production of Antony and Cleopatra, A Season in the Congo produced and directed by documentarian Rico Speight, Hostos Community College's production of 'No Child...', The Public Theatre's marathon production of Suzan-Lori Parks 365Days/365Plays, Classical Theater of Harlem's Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death by Melvin Van Peebles; Euripeds' Medea, the Alumni of the Negro Ensemble Company's tribute production of Blues in a Broken Tongue by Leslie Lee,and Solutions to all the Worlds Problems directed by Woodie King, Jr. In addition she's been seen in the films I am John Wayne, Freedomland, Sweeter Without Sugar which was featured on PBS, The Assimilation of Jenny, and the webisode Kindred, as well as several regional commercials. She has studied both stage and camera with Mary Boyer, Petronia Paley and William Esper's Professional Acting Conservatory.

JONATHAN WILLIAM (MAN) Born in Denver, Co. Raised to Anaheim, Ca. Now calling

Hell's Kitchen home. Jonathan started his wonderful journey on the play ground pretending to be Superman. That led to Fullerton College and a number of productions including The Great White Hope for which he one Best Actor for the role of "TICK". Jonathan then continued on to New York City to study at The American Dramatic Academy (AMDA). That led to working with playwright Anne L. Thompson-Scretching at the old Playwrights Horizon and later The American Theatre of Actors (ATA), in such plays as You Shouldn't Have Told, Four Men on a Couch, The Fall from Grace, and The Reunion which MS. Thompson-Scretching wrote for Jonathan. (Jono) as he is known to his friends and family moved back to Colorado for 6 years and studied film acting with Paul Rohrer and Screen and Play writing classes with his Colorado Agent and good friend Peter Deanello who runs Big Fish Talent. Jonathan has appeared in several commercials, in the greater Denver area. He also kept working on stage winning best actor for Picnic. Jonathan is grateful to be back in NYC. He has written 2 plays, The Small Town, King of the Pool Table, and is working on his first screenplay. And you can also see Jonathan in Epic History on the History Channel this fall.

Petronia Paley (DIRECTOR) Director, Actor, Playwright and Teacher. Directing

credits; Antony and Cleopatra Take Wing and Soar Productions, Truth Be Told at Ensemble Studio, River Crosses Rivers Festival; Daughter, Ensemble Studio Theatre; Kernel of Sanity, New Federal Theatre; Ascension, National Black Theatre Festival, International Fringe Festival; Medea, Take Wing and Soar Productions; Can We Dance, Riverside Church and Henry Street Settlement Spic Chic at Ensemble Studio Theatre's Octoberfest, Repertorio Espangol; How Many Goodbyes Must We Say? Julia de Burgos. I the Actor Showcases and Raul Julia Training Unit Showcases. She has staged numerous contemporary and classical readings. She is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre and The Actors Studio and the founder of I the Actor Acting Studio.

KIM PORTER (PLAYWRIGHT) is a playwright, performer, director and educator who

currently writes and teaches in Phoenix, Arizona. Porter's critically acclaimed plays have won a variety of awards for numerous productions in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Phoenix. Most recently her play Munched won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle award, The LA WEEKLY award and the McDonald Award for Playwriting excellence. In the 25 years that Porter has worked in professional theatre, she's done almost every job a person can do in theatre. Porter currently balances teaching playwriting and solo-performance at Space 55 theatre in Phoenix with writing her own plays and screenplays. In 2011 Porter was the recipient of the Phoenix New Times Big Brain Award.

Pictured: Jonathan William, Althea Alexis & Tanya Everett. Photo credit: photosbysai.

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