The Secret Life of The American Place Theatre

The first “Literature to Life” award is presented by Nathan Lane to noted author Sue Monk Kidd in this benefit honoring The American Place Theatre.

Sue Monk Kidd’s best-selling book, The Secret Life of Bees,
receives its theatrical debut as a gala benefit for The American
Place Theatre’s “Literature to Life” program, which presents
professionally-staged verbatim adaptations of significant American literary
works for middle school, high school and college students nationwide.
Beside the performance, the evening will feature appearances and testimonials by Nathan Lane, Roz Abrams, Sue Monk Kidd, Allison Janney, John Spencer, Richard Shif, and Whoopi Goldberg.

The evening as a whole is titled The Secret Life of The American Place Theatre. The novel, adapted and directed by Wynn Handman, will be acted by Denise Wilbanks. Costumes are designed by Academy Award winning costume designer, Ann Roth. Honorary committee members include Morgan Freeman, Barbara Cook, Kathleen Chalfant and David N. Dinkins.

The purpose of the benefit will be to endow “Literature to Life” as the new
central mission for The American Place Theatre. The program gives students
a new form of access to literature by bringing to life the world of the book
with performances that create an atmosphere of discovery and spark the
imagination. Literature to Life encourages reading, writing and critical
thinking and provides a catalyst for learning and self-expresion.