Artists In Place Is Holding An Online Telethon

Artists in Place is holding an online telethon Sunday March 22, noon to midnight to benefit artists, actors and creatives in the Philadelphia area in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program streams on Facebook through the AiP page starting at 12 noon EST. It features more than a dozen professionals performing songs, readings, monologues, and more.

Viewers can donate to artists through a Venmo account.

"At a time when we are all looking for reasons to smile, we are turning to artists through film, music, books, poetry, virtual museum tours, live theater streams, and so much more," said Artists in Place Co-Founder Becky Fleckner. "Without the artists, none of those things would be possible."

"However, the sudden nature of what is happening in the world today directly affects so many of us. Within a matter of hours most of us have lost everything we've been working on for weeks, months, some even years."

The telethon is a way to bring sanity and well-being to people through art while also "helping the helpers" who create it.

For information or to view the livestream, visit www.facebook.com/ArtistsInPlace.

Here is a partial list of the artists in this telethon, in alphabetical order:

Michael Barry is an actor, historical interpreter, and storyteller. He is currently a lead actor for the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum and a former manager for Cambridge Historical Tours. He's also worked for Mystery Cafe, Deana's Educational Theatre, The Firehouse Center for the Arts, Salem Trolley Company, and The Longwood Players.

Madison Caudullo is an actor, stage manager, and the artistic manager for Raw Street Productions, Cadullo has also worked with the Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium, Apartment 20 Productions, and PlayPenn New Play Development.

Jack Firneno is an award-winning community journalist whose work has appeared in Philadelphia Weekly, City Paper, Lower Bucks Times and more. As a drummer, he works with various tribute and pop acts across the city onstage and in the studio, and is the director of development for Share the Spotlight, a non-profit music program for teens.

Becky Fleckner is an actor, director and teaching artist. When not acting with National Theatre for Children, she guides children to create their own shows and teaches valuable life skills with Theater Horizon or leads senior citizens in high-level acting techniques, with Citywide Entertainment.

Shannon Hill is a Philadelphia-based actor, singer, improviser, director, artistic director, fight choreographer, and educator. She served as the artistic director of Festival 56 for two years, and her favorite roles include Rosalind in As You Like It at Festival 56, Masha at Studio 208 at the University of Houston, and Hamlet at Houston Shakespeare Festival. She is a member of the Actor's Equity Association.

Jed Krivisky has acted for The Millbrook Playhouse (nominated for Best Actor in a Play and Best Ensemble by Broadway World Central Pennsylvania), National Theatre for Children, Love Drunk Life, and Svaha Theatre Collective.

Sam Kwietniak is an internationally-recognized copywriter and lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the wacky band Los Festingos.

Adaeze Nwoko is one of the founders of Hestia Theatre Company, a company that focuses on producing intimate theatre.

Rachel O'Hanlon-Rodriguez is an actor, poet, comedian, and teaching artist who has worked with The Wilma Theatre, The Arden Theatre, Theatre Exile, Philadelphia Young Playwrights, Simpatico Theatre Company, Philadelphia Improv Theater, and the Painted Bride Art Center, and is a resident artist at Power Street Theatre Company.

Alexis Parente is a singer, actor, and stage manager. The co-founder of Citywide Entertainment, she is also the tour manager for the Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, production coordinator for the Mann Music Center, a script supervisor for The Thanksgiving Day Parade, and singer and sound tech for Angry Young Band: The Billy Joel Tribute and The Posers: 90s Tribute.

Christina Rosso is a writer and co-owner of the A Novel Idea bookstore in South Philadelphia. Her debut collection, SHE IS A BEAST, is forthcoming from APEP Publications.

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