(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Playwright in Residence, Madeleine George began her relationship with Two River nine years ago with the world premiere production of her play Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England, originally directed by Ken Rus Schmoll. The Theater will now revisit the play as part of the its “Two River Rising” online benefit series with Leigh Silverman directing. Act 1 will stream live on Wednesday, September 16 and Act 2 with a Q&A on Thursday, September 17 at 7:00pm EDT.
A deliciously smart and funny “academic sex comedy” about life in a small university town. In George’s play, Dean Wreen’s college is in dire financial straits, and a plan to close its on-campus natural history museum is sending unexpected shock waves in every direction—just as the Dean’s ex-girlfriend has come back into her life. This definitely complicates things with her much younger girlfriend, Andromeda. Neither budget cuts nor the shadows cast by seven about-to-be-homeless mammoths are any match for the sweet taste of romance in this hilarious and deeply moving play.
“I loved this show when we premiered it in 2011. I had a feeling then it would continue to reveal its timeless genius. Madeleine movingly and hilariously celebrates the complex ways we humans come together to care for one another in times of crisis. We need that now more than ever”, says Artistic Director John Dias.
Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England has taken place with the support of the Mellon Foundation’s National Playwright Residency Program administered in partnership with HowlRound Theatre Commons. The reading will feature: Lisa Kron, Brenda Pressley, Elizabeth Ramos and Denise Manning, joining original cast members, Joel Van Liew and Jon Hoche.
All proceeds from this reading and the entire series will support Two River Theater. In addition, proceeds will be matched by a generous donor to benefit five organizations with a pressing need due to the impact of systemic racism and COVID-19. The beneficiary partner for this reading is The Audre Lorde Project. Online benefit event tickets are $25 and include access to the reading and a live post-reading Q&A with the artists, hosted on Zoom. Sponsorships start at $1,000, and include additional benefits such as an invitation to a private virtual event with reading artists. Tickets are available for purchase online.
Two River Theater will also stream the reading on YouTube from Thursday, September 17 at 7:00pm EDT – Sunday, September 20 at 7:00pm EDT. Streaming is free and donations of any amount from viewers will be greatly appreciated.
The Audre Lorde Project is a center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, two spirit, trans and gender non-conforming people of color to mobilize, educate and build capacity for community wellness and progressive social and economic justice.
The Two River Rising Series is sponsored by Bank of America. The series is supported in part with contributions from Hitz Foundation, The Nancy Robin Karpf Fund, Katherine Kovner, Mary Jane and Richard Kroon.
Two River Theater’s 2020/21 Season Sponsor is Hackensack Meridian Health Riverview Medical Center. Two River Theater is supported in part by public support through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Private support includes the Mary Owen Borden Foundation, Denholtz Properties, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Horizon Foundation of New Jersey, Investors Foundation, Jewish Communal Fund, Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Monmouth University, The Shubert Foundation, The John Ben Snow Memorial Trust, Springpoint Senior Living Foundation at The Atrium at Navesink Harbor, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, The Stone Foundation of New Jersey, Wells Fargo Foundation, and many other generous foundations, corporations and individuals.