John Guare to Be Honored at May 9 EST Gala; David Margulies, Lois Smith, et al. Set for Reading Series of His Works

Ensemble Studio Theatre will honor playwright John Guare at its gala celebration at The Prince George Ballroom, to be held on Monday, May 9 at 6:30pm. Confirmed to appear at the event and possibly perform are Edward Albee, Dick Latessa and Anne Meara.

Guare is currently represented on Broadway by a revival of his play, The House of Blue Leaves, and his latest work, A Free Man of Color, was seen on Broadway earlier this season. He is an Oscar nominee for his screenplay for Atlantic City, and his other honors include an Obie Award for sustained excellence, and the 2011 Greenfield Prize in Drama.

EST will also be presenting a free reading series of some of Guare’s most remembered plays, which will begin Sunday, April 3, with Marco Polo Sings a Solo, directed by Jamie Richards, and featuring Geneva Carr, Thomas Lyons, Chris Ceraso, Amy Staats, Scott Sowers, Anne O’Sullivan, Sam Freed, and Steven Boyer.

The series will continue with an evening of one-acts on April 10, including Muzeeka, directed by Holli Harms, featuring Haskell King, Julie Fitzpatrick, Maria Gabriele, Geneva Carr, and Robert Askins; Woman at a Threshold Beckoning, directed by Mordecai Lawner, featuring Chris Ceraso, Martin Shakar, Sakina Jaffrey, Jose Angel Santana, Shawn Randall, Shyko Amos, Denny Bess, Polly Adams, and Linda Faigao-Hall; and The General of Hot Desire, directed by Giovanna Sardelli, with Shyko Amos, Cindy Cheung, Ann Talman, JJ Kandel, Jay Patterson, Chris Wight, Catherine Curtin, Bill Cwikowski, and Haskell King.

On April 18, Barbara Andes will direct Lake Hollywood, featuring Patricia Randell, Scott Sowers, Lois Smith, David Margulies, Joel Rooks, Anne O’Sullivan, Ann Talman, Grant Shaud, Leslie Lyles, Charlotte Cwikowski, Denny Bess, and Haskell King.

The series will conclude on April 26 with Landscape of the Body, directed by Tom Rowan, and featuring Katherine Leask, Abigail Gampel, Lou Liberatore, Jared McGuire, Chris Harcum, Shyko Amos, Molly Carden, David Gelles, Paco Tolson, and at the piano, Eric March.

Readings are free, but require tickets which can be reserved here.

For tickets and information on the benefit, call 212-247-4982 x115.