DISASTER RELIEF FUNDRAISER

The victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita continue to need help in rebuilding their lives after the devastations on the Gulf Coast. One of the most efficient ways to help them is to contribute to the American Red Cross. Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to more than 70,000 disasters, including house or apartment fires (the majority of disaster responses), hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents, explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters.

To raise money for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, there will be a special presentation of the Villagers New Playwrights Series of staged readings on Monday evening, October 31. The program will begin at 8:00 p.m. in the Zaidi (Black Box) Theatre. The minimum suggested donation is $20. All monies raised by the reading will be donated to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and matched through Johnson & Johnson.

The first play on the program is COPIOUS TEARS by M. Lennon Perricone of North Brunswick. Mr. Perricone will direct the reading of his play. Sally O’Neil of Brookside and Catherine Rowe of Somerset will be reading roles written especially for them. COPIOUS TEARS is a thoughtful examination of American attitudes toward the death penalty, funneled through the experiences of two women whose lives are touched by violent tragedy. Mr. Perricone is planning to submit his play to the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. According to the Festival website, “If we have to shine flashlights at the stage, the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival will take place as scheduled March 29-April 2 in the French Quarter.”

The second short play of the evening is GROUP by Audra Lord of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Audra lived in New Jersey and was active in community theatres here prior to moving to the Detroit area. GROUP is a comedy revolving around three women who gather in an unused classroom for a women’s support group meeting. The reading will be directed by Catherine Rowe Pherson, producer of the annual Villagers New Playwrights Series. Liz Mahon of Union Beach, Leigh Mann of Matawan and Sara Peters of New Brunswick will play the women of the GROUP.

The Villagers Theatre is located at 415 DeMott Lane, in the Franklin Township Municipal Complex in Somerset, New Jersey. Directions to the theatre can be obtained by calling 732-873-2710, or by visiting the Villagers’ website www.villagerstheatre.com.