Aasif Mandvi Hosts Epic Theatre Ensemble Gala Feb.25

"The Daily Show" and New York stage regular Aasif Mandvi will host the 7th Annual Winter Gala of  Epic Theatre Ensemble on Monday February 25 at 6PM at 24 Fifth.  Others set to lend their support include Cicely Tyson, Tamara Tunie, Gregory Generet, David Strathairn, Leigh Silverman, Kathleen Chalfant, Gordon Elliot and musical guests The Petersons.

This year's honorees include Lancome and Chelsea High School Principal Tim Timberlake, for their visionary support of Epic's popular After-School Shakespeare Program.

Winner of OBIE, Lucille Lortel and OTTO Awards, Epic Theatre Ensemble was founded in 2001 by Zak Berkman, Melissa Friedman, Teri Lamm, Ron Russell and James Wallert.  Additional Producing Artists are Godfrey L. Simmons Jr. and Sarah Winkler.  Epic's past productions include Nilaja Sun's No Child..., which Epic commissioned, developed and premiered before its commercial transfer and national tour, as well as premieres of A Hard Heart by Howard Barker (featuring Kathleen Chalfant), Beauty on the Vine by Zak Berkman (featuring Epic Associates David Strathairn and Olivia Wilde), Hannah and Martin by Kate Fodor (featuring David Strathairn), Einstein's Gift by Vern Thiessen (featuring Aasif Mandvi and Shawn Elliott), Habitat by Judith Thompson and revivals of GB Shaw's Widowers' Houses (with Peter Jay Fernandez), Little Eyolf by Henrik Ibsen and Time and the Conways by J.B. Priestley.

Epic's newest production, the New York Premiere of Palace of the End by Judith Thompson, will begin performances June 11, 2008 at at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Playwrights Horizons (416 West 42nd Street). For more information, visit www.epictheatreensemble.org.