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Stars align for online theatre in May
April 30, 2020, 12:17.14 am ET

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Stars align for online theatre in May
Photo: Karen Pittman/Pipeline

As the Covid-19 pandemic rages on, the odds of live theater reopening anytime soon gets slimmer and slimmer. Fortunately, a number of New York theatrical institutions are upping their game by creating innovative programming and making available critically acclaimed productions, many feature award-winning actors

On May 2, Moliere in the Park will do a virtual reading of its planned production of “The Misanthrope” on Zoom, which will be available via its YouTube channel. The reading, which will be available through May 6, will star Heidi Armbruster, Kaliswa Brewster, Chris Henry Coffey, Naomi Lorrain, Jared McNeill, Jennifer Mudge, Postell Pringle, Tamara Sevunts, with special appearances by Emmy Award winner Samira Wiley and Tony Award winner Stew.

Starting May 4, videos of five of the most beloved productions of the extraordinary Wooster Group, “Brace Up,” “Hamlet,” “Rumstick Road,” “To You, the Birdie!” and “House/Lights,” will be available to stream on the company’s website, www.thewoostergroup.org. For lovers of experimental theatre, these are must-see productions.

Also on May 4, Red Bull Theatre will offer its latest livestream: a virtual reading of the Jacobean tragedy “The Witch of Edmonton,” featuring members of the cast of its acclaimed 2011 Off-Broadway production, including Carson Elrod, Christopher Innvar, Everett Quinton and Charlayne Woodard. It will be broadcast on Red Bull Theater's website at https://www.redbulltheater.com/live, as well as on Facebook and at VIMEO.

Stars align for online theatre in May
Photo: The Oedipus Project/Theater of War

Oscar winner Frances McDormand will lend her presence to Theater of War Productions’ “The Oedipus Project,” which will kick off with a live Zoom presentation on May 7. She will be joined by John Turturro, Oscar Isaac, Jeffrey Wright, Frankie Faison, David Strathairn and NYC Public Advocative Juamaane Williams for this special interactive event. While the reading is free, RSVPs are requested at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-oedipus-project-tickets-103233233380

A new independent, online theater initiative created to help feed children affected by COVID-19, The Homebound Project will launch on May 7 with a collection of new works that will be available to stream at homeboundtheater.org. Participating actors and writers include Christopher Abbott, William Jackson Harper, Jessica Hecht, Marin Ireland, Rajiv Joseph, Martyna Majok, Catya Mccullen, Alison Pill, Thomas Sadoski and Amanda Seyfried.

Lastly, on May 15, LincolnCenter.org, in partnership with BroadwayHD, will broadcast Dominique Morisseau’s strikingly powerful work “Pipeline” This provocative play stars Theatre World winner Karen Pittman (from Apple TV’s “The Morning Show”) as Nya, a devoted inner-city public school teacher and mother who has to make some tough choices after her son is involved in a controversial incident. It’s simply riveting.

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