Benefit for the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival

NEW YORK CITY—Friends of the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival are throwing a benefit for the annual Irish gathering on Monday, March 22 at 7:30pm at TADA Theatre, 15 W. 28th St. An evening of song, solo performance, and short plays, as well as a raffle of a Big Basket o’ Gay & Lesbian Plays, Books & Music are on offer.

“Many of us here in the New York theatre scene have had such a great time in Dublin at the festival, that we decided to have a party for them, and raise some money, here in New York City, particularly since the economic turmoil has hit Ireland even harder than the U.S.,” said Kathleen Warnock, NYC-based playwright and editor, who holds the title of Official Ambassador of the Festival to North America. Or, as she prefers to style herself, The Ambassador of Love.

The festival, now entering its 7th year, is held annually the first two weeks in May in Dublin, Ireland. Theatre companies and performers from all over the world travel to Ireland’s capital for two weeks of performance, music, panels, and general hijinks.

Solo artists scheduled to appear March 22, directed by Mark Finley, include Elizabeth Whitney (Wonder Woman, The Musical); Moe Bertran (performing a monologue from David Pumo's Love Scenes); Chesley Award winning writer and performer Dan Bernitt, and Andrea Alton (Carl & Shelly Best Friends Forever) as Molly the Lesbian Poet. Three short plays, "The Adventures of..." (featuring Jamie Heinlein, Jason Alan Griffin, and Hunter Gilmore), directed by Deb Guston; Kevin Brofsky's "Tom Cruise, Get off the Couch!" (with Kaolin Bass, Joe MacDougall and Desmond Dutcher, directed by Aimee Howard; and Mark Finley’s “Swans Are Mean” (with Elizabeth Bell, Matt Boethin, and Hunter Gilmore, directed by David Winitsky) will also be performed. Award-winning playwright, cabaret singer and man-about-town Chris Weikel is the Master of Ceremonies, and Peter Saxe is music director.

In addition, the organizers are offering a raffle a “Big Basket o’Gay & Lesbian Plays, Books & Music.” Tickets are available online and at the benefit, and the winner does not need to be present to win. The basket includes signed work from such GLBT artists as Alison Bechdel (Fun Home), Meryl Cohn, (Ms. Behavior), Terence McNally (Corpus Christi), Mark O’Donnell (Hairspray), Irish playwright and novelist Emma Donoghue, Moises Kaufman (The Laramie Project) BETTY (the band!), as well as rare autographed items from pioneers of American Gay Theatre Robert Patrick and Doric Wilson.

All proceeds from the benefit will go to the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival.

For a complete list of items in the basket, and updates on the performers, as well as a link to purchase tickets for the event or the raffle, visit http://dublinbenefit.blogspot.com or email dublinbenefit@gmail.com. To purchase tickets to the benefit or raffle tickets, or to find out more about the festival, visit www.gaytheatre.ie.