Theater J and Mosaic to Host Fundraiser Benefit for Ukraine

Theater J and Mosaic Theater, both located in Washington, DC, are collaborating to produce an evening of short Ukrainian plays benefiting Ukrainian charities. The in-person event, consisting of readings of short contemporary plays, will be held on Thursday, April 28, 2022, at 8:00 pm at the Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center (1529 16th Street NW, Washington DC). The evening will raise funds for Ukrainian causes and highlight the plight of artists in Ukraine while showcasing the plays. Some of these plays were commissioned, written, and translated just in the last few weeks, and are based on what the playwrights are currently experiencing in their war-torn country.

Plays from the Front Lines: A Fundraiser for Ukraine will consist of play readings directed by Mosaic Theater's Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Playwright in Residence Psalmayene 24 and will be followed by a post-show discussion. Admission to the event is pay-what-you-choose, with suggested levels of donation beginning at $50. All of the proceeds will be split between two Ukrainian organizations, Voices of Children, and the Beit Graham Jewish Community Center. Voices of Children provides psychological and psychosocial support to Ukrainian children who are suffering as a result of war operations. Their programs include Art Therapy, Mobile Psychologists, Video Storytelling, and Individual Help. The Beit Graham Jewish Community Center is located in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, and money raised from the event will help to provide food, medicine, clothes, and other essential supplies for their members. The play readings will feature local artists, and casting will be announced at a later date. Those who are unable to attend the event in person are still encouraged to make a contribution.

"As artists we have an obligation to lift up the stories of the oppressed and the voices of the silenced," said Theater J Artistic Director Adam Immerwahr. "We hope that this program will bring much needed support to two worthy Ukrainian organizations that are desperately trying to keep their people safe and supported in the midst of a horrifying war. We are honored to partner with our colleagues at Mosaic Theater to further this vital cause, as we introduce our audience to some of the great playwrights of Ukraine."

"This initiative is a testament to theater's unique ability to connect across continents and cultures, a value that both Mosaic Theater and Theater J share. It is a humbling honor to amplify the voices and visions of Ukrainian playwrights capturing this moment in world history with both honesty and hope and to support ongoing relief efforts through this partnership and event." - Reginald L. Douglas, Mosaic Theater Artistic Director

Date: Thursday, April 28, 2022

Time: 8:00 pm

Cost: Pay What You Choose Fundraiser

Benefiting:

Voices of Children https://voices.org.ua/en/ and The Beit Graham Jewish Community Center in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine

Location:

Theater J at the Edlavitch DCJCC

Aaron & Cecile Goldman Theater

1529 Sixteenth Street NW

Washington, DC 20036

Registration:

Information can be found here: https://theaterj.org/specialperformances/ukrainebenefit/

About Theater J:

Theater J is a nationally-renowned, professional theater that celebrates, explores, and struggles with the complexities and nuances of both the Jewish experience and the universal human condition. Our work illuminates and examines ethical questions of our time, inter-cultural experiences that parallel our own, and the changing landscape of Jewish identities. As the nation's largest and most prominent Jewish theater, we aim to preserve and expand a rich Jewish theatrical tradition and to create community and commonality through theater-going experiences.

Theater J is a program of the Edlavitch DCJCC. For more information about Theater J, contact their ticket office at: 202.777.3210 or go to their website at: www.theaterj.org.

About the Edlavitch DCJCC:

Theater J is a proud program of the Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center (EDCJCC). Guided by Jewish values and heritage, the Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center engages individuals and families through its cultural, recreational, educational, and social justice programs by welcoming people of all backgrounds to connect, learn, serve, and be entertained together in ways that reflect the unique role of the Center in the nation's capital.

The Edlavitch DCJCC embraces inclusion in all its programs and activities. We welcome and encourage the participation of all people, regardless of their background, sexual orientation, abilities, or religion, including interfaith couples and families.

About The Mosaic Theater Company of DC:

Mosaic Theater Company of DC produces bold, culturally diverse theater that illuminates critical issues, elevates fresh voices, and sparks connection among communities throughout our region and beyond. Under the leadership of the newly appointed Artistic Director Reginald L. Douglas and Managing Director Serge Seiden, Mosaic produces plays that spark conversation and connections amongst the DC Metro area's diverse communities and sees itself as a neighbor and partner with those communities. By sharing stories that both entertain and enlighten, Mosaic uses art to build empathy amongst diverse people united by the magic of theater and hopes to build community by reflecting the people and the many cultures that call DC home. www.mosaictheater.org

About Psalmayene 24:

Psalmayene 24 is currently The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Playwright in Residence at Mosaic Theater and a member of The Cabinet at Studio Theatre. Writing credits include Dear Mapel (Mosaic Theater), The Blackest Battle (Theater Alliance), Les Deux Noirs (Mosaic Theater), The Frederick Douglass Project-co-written with Irish playwright Deirdre Kinahan (Solas Nua), P.Nokio: A Hip-Hop Musical (Imagination Stage), and the short film, The Freewheelin' Insurgents (Arena Stage). His one man play, Free Jujube Brown!, is recognized as a seminal work in Hip-Hop Theatre and is published in the anthology, Plays from the Boom-Box Galaxy: Theater from the Hip-Hop Generation (TCG). Directing credits include Flow by Will Power (Studio Theatre), Necessary Sacrifices: A Radio Play by Richard Hellesen (Ford's Theatre), Pass Over by Antoinette Nwandu (Studio Theatre), Native Son by Nambi E. Kelley (Mosaic Theater), and Word Becomes Flesh-recipient of five Helen Hayes Awards, including Outstanding Direction of a Play-by Marc Bamuthi Joseph (Theater Alliance).As an actor, Psalm has appeared on HBO's critically acclaimed series The Wire and has been nominated for a Helen Hayes Award (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical).

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