Shakespeare Theatre Company Announces WILL ON THE HILL Fundraiser

On Monday, June 7, Members of Congress and distinguished Washington influencers from both sides of the aisle will travel back to Shakespeare's day for one evening only! Following upon the success of last summer's virtual Will on the Hill, this year's performance will also be online with pay-what-you-will pricing that benefits Shakespeare Theatre Company's education and community engagement programs. The event begins at 6 p.m. with a VIP Virtual Pre-Show Reception to be followed at 7 p.m. by a Virtual Performance.

This year's witty script Will on the Hill and Far Away-written by playwright, director, and actor Nat Cassidy (Any Day Now, Old Familiar Faces)-follows a definitely-not-mad scientist who crashes a Congressional hearing held to determine once and for all what's so great about the works of the Bard. In this silly scenario harkening back to old sci-fi classics, a hapless handful of politicians are transported directly into the world of Shakespeare's plays when a time machine backfires.

Some of DC's favorite actors, including Felicia Curry (Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!) Yonatan Gebeyehu (Timon of Athens), Christopher Michael Richardson (Macbeth), Tom Story (Peter Pan and Wendy), Holly Twyford (Old Times) and Gregory Wooddell (The School for Lies) will join with members of Congress on the (virtual) stage for this uproariously funny fundraiser. Bianca Amato (Nöel Coward's Private Lives), T?míday? Amay (School Girls: or, the African Mean Girls Play), Zoë Sophia Garcia (The Oresteia), Kimberly Gilbert (Marie Antoinette), television star Harry Hamlin (Mad Men, Law & Order), Tony Award nominee Patrick Page (All the Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented the Villain, Hadestown), Tristan André Parks (The Amen Corner), Tony Roach (The Metromaniacs), Faran Tahir (Othello), Broadway star Tracie Thoms (Rent, Falsettos), Craig Wallace (A Christmas Carol at Ford's Theater), Finn Wittrock (American Horror Story, Romeo and Juliet) and Jacob Yeh (Julius Caesar) will appear in cameo performances.

"Each summer, I am moved by the dedication and generosity of the members of Congress and all who work hard to create Will on the Hill," Senior Director of Engagement and Education Samantha Wyer Bello, who will again direct this year's play, states. "It takes time and a lot of work, but not only is Will on the Hill a joyous evening for participants and audiences, but even more importantly the event raises funding for our arts education programming that reaches so many students in the greater DMV area."

This year's cast of Congressional members is one of the largest in Will on the Hill history, and will include Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Rep. André Carson (D-IN), Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) are all confirmed to perform. Her Majesty's Ambassador to the United States Dame Karen Pierce; Ian Liddell-Grainger, a Member of Parliament in the UK; Nury Turkel, who serves on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom; Founder and President of Americans for Tax Reform Grover Norquist; and longtime Will on the Hill supporters Marla Allard and Maggie Coons are also slated to join the performance. All cast members are subject to change.

Co-Chaired by Vincent Roberti and Karishma Page, Will on the Hill is an extraordinary fundraiser fostering bipartisan support for STC's arts education programs, which reach nearly 20,000 students and teachers annually. STC's Engagement and Education Department provides in-school and online workshops, free teaching materials, and free or deeply subsidized tickets and transportation to theatrical performances.

The Will on the Hill broadcast will be available on a Pay-What-You-Will basis, allowing audiences nationwide to take part in the fun while supporting arts education. For additional information about Will on the Hill 2021, please visit ShakespeareTheatre.org/WillontheHill or contact STC's Corporate Giving Office at 202.547.3230 ext. 2323 or WOTH@ShakespeareTheatre.org.

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