Theater News

Kinky Boots Tony Winner Billy Porter to Direct Short Plays by Wesley Taylor

The one-night benefit will feature Tony winner Denis O’Hare, Matthew Morrison, Raven Symoné, and more.

Billy Porter will direct an evening of short plays by Wesley Taylor.
Billy Porter will direct an evening of short plays by Wesley Taylor.
(© Allison Stock)

Tony Award winner Billy Porter (Kinky Boots) will direct an evening of several short plays by actor and playwright Wesley Taylor titled Proud of Us and Other Short Plays by Wesley Taylor. Leslie Kritzer (Something Rotten!) will host the one-night event, benefiting the Actors Fund, on November 14 at New World Stages.

The cast for Proud of Us will include Tony Award winner Denis O’Hare (Elling), Matthew Morrison (Finding Neverland), Julie Klausner (Difficult People), Skylar Astin (Spring Awakening), Carolee Carmello (Finding Neverland), Jack Griffo, Noah Hinsdale (Finding Neverland), Rebecca Naomi Jones (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Kevin McHale, Terrence Mann (Tuck Everlasting), Maulik Pancholy (It's Only a Play), Bryce Pinkham (Holiday Inn), Alexandra Socha (Brighton Beach Memoirs), Will Swenson (Disaster!), Raven Symoné (Sister Act), Mary Testa (Guys and Dolls), Michael Urie (How to Succeed…), and Samantha Ware (The Book of Mormon). West End star Summer Strallen will read the stage directions. All cast is subject to change.

Wesley Taylor was featured in the original Broadway casts of Rock of Ages and The Addams Family. He is the cocreator, writer, and star of It Could Be Worse, which was acquired by Participant Media, Pivot TV, Vimeo on Demand, and Hulu. Last fall, the Actor's Fund produced a reading of six of his short plays.