Sylvia Kauders, Madi Distefano & More Lead 100th Anniversary Reading of Oscar Wilde's AN IDEAL HUSBAND, 5/14

Plays & Players celebrates their 100th Anniversary on May 14 at 7pm with a staged reading of Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband, directed by Daniel Student, featuring local celebrities of stage, screen, politics, and more. An Ideal Husband was first performed on Plays & Players' stage in the Spring of 1912, exactly 100 years ago.  For tickets and more information, visit:  http://playsandplayers.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=413358.

Monday, May 14, 2012 at 7pm (Doors open at 6pm; meet the artists reception from 9pm-10pm)
Starring Kevin Bergen, Blondell Reynolds Brown, Madi Distefano, Kash Goins, Karen Hepp, Sylvia Kauders, Jennifer MacMillan, Bill Melton, Jack Roe, Keith Richardson, Amanda Schoonover, Ray Smith, and Isaiah Zagar.

Tickets: $25 for general admission
$50 for general admission and meet-the-artist post-show reception
(Industry tickets as low as $10)

The 100th Anniversary Reading stars big names in Philadelphia theater including star of stage & screen Sylvia Kauders (Witness, American Splendor, The Wrestler, Sex and the City, The Sopranos); Barrymore Award winning actors Madi Distefano and Amanda Schoonover; Barrymore nominated actor Kevin Bergen; Kash Goins, star of Plays & Players' production of Joe Turner's Come and Gone and producer of the Philadelphia Urban Theatre Festival; long-time Plays & Players member and former board member Ray Smith; and new board member Jennifer MacMillan.

Other stars include Fox 29's Good Day co-anchor Karen Hepp, the Philadelphia's Magic Gardens' Isaiah Zagar, City Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, Revenue Commissioner Keith Richardson, Tangier's owner Jack Roe, and Delancey Place resident Bill Melton.

An Ideal Husband is a sharp and witty satire of "refined" society from theatrical legend Oscar Wilde (The Importance of Being Artist). Successful political figure Sir Robert Chiltern's life is perfect thanks to the help of his loving and brilliant wife Gertrude and the support of his quick witted sister Mabel. In contrast, his friend's life, the uninspired but utterly charming Lord Arthur Goring, is one of lounging, flirting with Mabel, and avoiding his father's insistence that he should marry. The world of these men is turned upside down by the arrival of Old Acquaintance, Mrs. Cheveley, who has come with blackmail in mind. As the comments and lies begin to fly about, it's revealed that the man thought to be perfect is flawed, the man with all the flaws must do something right, and the question remains: what makes an ideal husband?

The 100th Anniversary Reading kicks off our "Next 100" campaign to raise funds to renovate and restore our beautiful, historic theatre. For the past six months, the Community Design Collaborative has been working with Plays & Players to create a 10-Year Master Plan with recommendations on sustainability and accessibility under the direction of Studio Agoos Lovera. The May 14 Reading will feature raffle drawings, a silent auction, and a chance to hear about the Master Planning process and recommendations.

To post a comment, you must register and login.