Redhouse To Premier Zoom Play WAITING FOR THE HOST

Redhouse Arts Center's Virtual Redhouse will present the Regional Premier of a play specially written for Zoom entitled Waiting for the Host which was written by playwright Marc Palmieri.

This new comedy/drama, designed specifically for online performance, takes place during the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic; as a tech-challenged church tries to hash out how to present its annual Passion Play on the internet in the age of social distancing. This will be the New York (Regional) premier and will be the first of its kind that Redhouse has produced.

Artistic Director Hunter Foster is quoted in saying: "As we continue to monitor and deal with the current pandemic we are constantly thinking of ways of how we can still present theatre online in interesting and entertaining ways. With most of the public using Zoom for business meetings, parties, weddings and graduations, Waiting For the Host is another example of how we are still trying to connect and make life happen during quarantine in profound and sometimes comedic ways."

The show will be streamed from May 28th at 7pm through June 1st. Prior to the show audiences will have two opportunities to learn more. On Tuesday, May 26th at 5:30pm, Artistic Director Hunter Foster, host of RedTalks on Facebook Live (@theredhousearts) will be joined by playwright Marc Palmieri and some of the cast to chat and converse about the play. In addition to this there will be also be a Premier Party with the cast, director, May, 28th at 6:30pm on Facebook Live (@theredhousearts).

In a season when theaters, playgrounds, schools, and churches are shuttered by a modern plague, the rector of a small church on Long Island gathers a handful of parishioners via video conference. His goal is to record a theatrical reading of the story of the Passion for the church website. As exes bicker and technology confuses, this socially distant endeavor quickly becomes chaotic. Still, in the effort, the group finds a strange, painful closeness, and that their comic and clumsy reading has become a kind of desperate prayer.

The show was directed by Artistic Director and Broadway Veteran Hunter Foster. He will be joined another Broadway Veteran Jennifer Cody who will be a part of the cast. Other cast members include Yarissa Millan, Peggy Mitchell, Robert Edwards, Steve Gamba and Brendan Didio (see page 2 of this release for actor bios). Production crew included Production Manager Daniel Whiting, Stage Manager Margot Reed and Production Assistant Josh Reid.

Pre sale tickets for the stream are available for purchase at the Redhouse website at www.theredhouse.org and they remain on sale through the the run of the show. The cost is $15 which includes all fees; once purchased you have 24 hours to view the show. If you have questions, please email info@theredhouse.org.