(Via John Wyszniewski, Everyman Agency.)
Laurie Metcalf, Kelli O’Hara, Brian Cox, Austin Pendleton, Daniel K. Isaac, and More Premiere New Work by Craig Lucas, Lena Dunham, Sylvia Khoury, Stephen Karam, Donnetta Lavinia Grays, Among Others, with Guest Directors Pam MacKinnon and Scott Ellis
Over $100,000 Raised To Date For No Kid Hungry – Can Help Provide Up To 1 Million Meals For Children In Need
Anonymous Donor Matching All Donations for Series 5 Up to $20,000
Following an “ambitious” (New York Times) debut on May 6 with an “extremely impressive roster of leading actors and writers” (Time Out New York), The Homebound Project is pleased to announce the lineup for its fifth and final edition of new online theater benefiting hungry children affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Co-creators Catya McMullen and Jenna Worsham, along with their all-volunteer team, are also pleased to announce that over $100,000 has been raised to date for No Kid Hungry, a national campaign working to end childhood hunger. Through No Kid Hungry, this amount can help connect kids in need across the country with up to 1 million healthy meals. For this fifth and final edition of The Homebound Project, an anonymous donor will be matching all donations, dollar for dollar, up to $20,000.
The playwrights in the fifth edition of The Homebound Project, airing August 5–9, 2020, have been given the prompt of “Homemade.” Participating actors, playwrights, and directors include:
Brian Cox and Nicole Ansari-Cox in a work by Melis Aker, directed by Tatiana Pandiani;
Joslyn DeFreece in a work by Lloyd Suh, directed by Colette Robert;
A work by Lena Dunham, directed by Maggie Burrows, performer TBA;
Ryan J. Haddad in a work by Christopher Oscar Peña, directed by Jaki Bradley;
Daniel K. Isaac in a work by Sylvia Khoury;
Andy Lucien in a work by Donnetta Lavinia Grays;
Laurie Metcalf in work by Stephen Karam;
Kelli O’Hara in a work by Lindsey Ferrentino, directed by Scott Ellis;
Austin Pendleton in a work by Craig Lucas, directed by Pam MacKinnon;
Cesar J. Rosado in a work by Basil Kreimendahl, directed by Samantha Soule;
Amanda Seyfried in a work by Catya McMullen; directed by Jenna Worsham; and
Johnny Sibilly in a work by Korde Arrington Tuttle, directed by Jenna Worsham.
The fifth edition of The Homebound Project will stream online beginning at 7pm EST on Wednesday, August 5 until 7pm EST on Sunday, August 9. View-at-home tickets are currently on sale at homeboundtheater.org and begin at a donation level of $10. Complimentary viewings for first responders and essential workers have been made possible by an anonymous donor. Each collection from this independent theater initiative is available to stream over a strictly limited 4-day period.
Founded by playwright Catya McMullen and director Jenna Worsham, The Homebound Project is an independent online theater initiative created to help feed hungry children affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Each edition features a collection of new theater works written by homebound playwrights and recorded by sheltering actors.
The Homebound Project features costume consultation by Andy Jean, original music and sound design by Fan Zhang, and video editing and design by Jon Burkland/ZANNI Productions.
“The child hunger crisis needs our attention at this critical and traumatic national moment,” says co-creator Jenna Worsham. “We are monumentally grateful for the exquisite work of our volunteer artists and generous support from audiences around the world. As The Homebound Project draws to a close for now, our shared mission to help those most vulnerable during this crisis should and will continue.”
“Hungry children in our country are facing one of the worst crises we’ve seen in our lifetime. But thanks to generous partners like The Homebound Project and its donors, they’re not facing it alone,” said Billy Shore, executive chair of Share Our Strength, the nonprofit behind the No Kid Hungry campaign. “We’re truly grateful for this support that will help feed children during this pandemic and the long recovery ahead.”
“1 in 4 children in the U.S. could face hunger this year because of the coronavirus – and that includes many in New York City,” said Rachel Sabella, director of No Kid Hungry in New York. “The Homebound Project is proof that everyone can play a role in helping these kids, whether you’re an actor, producer, writer, director, viewer or otherwise. Kids need whatever strength we’re willing to share in this fight.”
The first edition of The Homebound Project was available May 6–10, 2020, and featured Christopher Abbott in a work by Lucy Thurber, Glenn Davis in a work by Ren Dara Santiago, William Jackson Harper in work by Max Posner, Jessica Hecht in a work by Sarah Ruhl, Marin Ireland in a work by Eliza Clark, Raymond Lee in a work by Qui Nguyen, Alison Pill in a work by C.A. Johnson, Elizabeth Rodriguez in a work by Rajiv Joseph, Thomas Sadoski in a work by Martyna Majok, and Amanda Seyfried in a work by The Homebound Project co-creator Catya McMullen. As well as a special appearance by Zachary Quinto.
The second edition of The Homebound Project was available May 20–24, 2020, and featured Utkarsh Ambudkar in a work by Marco Ramirez; Ngozi Anyanwu in a work by Anne Washburn; Nicholas Braun in a work by Will Arbery, directed by Danya Taymor; Betty Gilpin in a work by Lily Houghton; Kimberly Hébert Gregory in a work by Loy A. Webb; directed by Jenna Worsham; Hari Nef in a work by Ngozi Anyanwu, directed by Caitriona McLaughlin; Mary-Louise Parker in a work by Bryna Turner; Christopher Oscar Peña in a work by Brittany K. Allen; Taylor Schilling in a work by Sarah DeLappe, directed by Jenna Worsham; Babak Tafti in a work by David Zheng, directed by Taylor Reynolds; and Zachary Quinto in a work by Adam Bock, directed by Trip Cullman. As well as special appearances by chef Marcus Samuelsson and actor Amanda Seyfried.
The third edition of The Homebound Project was available June 24–28, 2020, and featured Ralph Brown in a work by Donnetta Lavinia Grays, directed by Jenna Worsham; Jennifer Carpenter and Thomas Sadoski in a work by John Guare, directed by Jerry Zaks; Daveed Diggs in a work by C.A. Johnson; Diane Lane in a work by Michael R. Jackson, directed by Leigh Silverman; Paola Lázaro in a work by Gina Femia, directed by Taylor Reynolds; Joshua Leonard in a work by Mara Nelson-Greenberg, directed by Jenna Worsham; Eve Lindley in a work by Daniel Talbott, directed by Kevin Laibson; Arian Moayed in a work by Xavier Galva; Ashley Park in a work by Bess Wohl, directed by Leigh Silverman; Will Pullen in a work by Samuel D. Hunter, directed by Jenna Worsham; Phillipa Soo in a work by Clare Barron, directed by Steven Pasquale; and Blair Underwood in a work by Korde Arrington Tuttle. As well as special appearances by NASCAR driver and U.S. Naval Officer Jesse Iwuji and 2020 Pulitzer Prize-Winner Michael R. Jackson.
The fourth edition of The Homebound Project was available July 15–19, 2020, and featured Tommy Dorfman in a work by Diana Oh, directed by Lena Dunham; Lisa Edelstein in a work by Janine Nabers; Adam Faison in a work by Charly Evon Simpson; Santino Fontana in a work by Emily Zemba; Cherry Jones in a work by Erin Courtney, directed by Jenna Worsham; Sue Jean Kim in a work by Leslye Headland, directed by Annie Tippe; Judith Light in a work by Jon Robin Baitz, directed by Leigh Silverman; Jon-Michael Reese in a work by Harrison David Rivers, directed by Colette Robert; Amber Tamblyn in a work by Halley Feiffer; Marquise Vilson in a work by Migdalia Cruz, directed by Cándido Tirado; Mary Wiseman in a work by Boo Killebrew, directed by Jenna Worsham. As well as special appearances by U.S. Army veteran Teaira ‘T-bone’ Johnson, playwright Diana Oh, and actors Phillipa Soo and Amanda Seyfried.
Visit homeboundtheater.org and follow @homeboundtheater on Instagram for more information.
The Homebound Project has been made possible by the Theater Authority, through a generous partnership with Actors’ Equity Association, American Guild of Musical Artists, American Guild of Variety Artists, and SAG-AFTRA.
About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, 1 in 4 kids could face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty. nokidhungry.org
About The Homebound Project
The Homebound Project is a new independent theater initiative, focused on connecting sheltering artists and helping to feed children affected by the coronavirus pandemic in NYC and beyond. Founded by playwright Catya McMullen and director Jenna Worsham, The Homebound Project is theater made to support those working on the front lines of this crisis. Through an online theater platform, and as an all-volunteer artist team, their mission is two-fold: Raise funds for a nonprofit active in pandemic relief efforts, and make great theater with currently homebound artists. homeboundtheater.org
Volunteer Staff for The Homebound Project includes Mary Solomon, John Wyszniewski, Victor Cervantes Jr., Ludmila Brito, Mark Villari, Maiya Pascouche and Tamsi New.
Press Contact: John Wyszniewski, Everyman Agency, 347.416.3881, john@everymanagency.com
