The District Theatre, 1611 2nd Ave., Rock Island, will present a reading of 8, a new play chronicling the historic trial in the federal legal challenge to California's Proposition 8.
Written by Academy-Award winning writer Dustin Lance Black, 8 will make its area premiere in an exclusive, one-night-only event Friday, July 6, at 8 p.m. A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER).
The District Theatre's Tristan Layne Tapscott emailed Windy City Times about how the event came about: "I just read the Playbill article and jumped on the opportunity. It is a terrific opportunity to support a good cause ... and it is an excellent way to raise awareness in my community and gain some national attention.
"Any producer ... should be on this."
The national website for 8 is www.8theplay.com .
AFER and Broadway Impact have announced the full cast for the West Coast premiere of 8, according to a press release. The cast includes Kevin Bacon, George Clooney, Glee's Chris Colfer, George Takei, Jane Lynch, Matthew Morrison, Rob Reiner, Jamie Lee Curtis, Martin Sheen, Matt Bomer and many more. The production—penned by Oscar-winning screenwriter and AFER founding board member Dustin Lance Black—will premiere at Los Angeles' Wilshire Ebell Theatre March 3.
Tickets are $25 each for the Rock Island production; email tristan@districttheatre.com, visit www.DistrictTheatre.com or call 309-235-1654.
—Andrew Davis
