Jason Ritter Joins Cast of WAR OF THE WORLDS Benefit Reading at ACME Theater

Emmy nominee, Jason Ritter ("Parenthood"), star of NBC's THE EVENT and FREDDY VS. JASON has joined the cast of a one-night only benefit performance of Orson Welles' iconic 1938 radio drama, WAR OF THE WORLDS at 8 PM on January 17, 2015.

The live performance (a fundraiser for Sci-Fest LA: The Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival) will take place at ACME Theater, 135 N. La Brea Avenue in Hollywood.

Ritter currently plays the recurring role of "Mark Cyr" in the NBC television series "Parenthood" for which he received an Emmy Award nomination. In "War," Ritter will play the role of "Carl Phillips," the courageous reporter who is the first to sound the alarm that aliens have attacked the earth.

The cast will also features series regulars from all 5 of the"STAR TREK" television series including: Wil Wheaton ("Star Trek: TNG" & "Big Bang Theory") as "Orson Welles," Walter Koenig ("Lt. Chekhov" on the original "Star Trek" series), Michael Dorn ("Star Trek: TNG"), René Auberjonois and Armin Shimerman ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"), Tim Russ ("Star Trek: Voyager") and Linda Park ("Star Trek: Enterprise"). Also appearing: Dean Haglund ("The X-Files") and a special prerecorded cameo appearance by comic book legend, Stan Lee. The performance will be produced by Sci-Fest LA and directed by Jim Fall.

The idea for the fundraiser came from Sci-Fest LA co-producer, actor David Dean Bottrell ("Boston Legal"). "We're extremely happy to have Jason joining WAR OF THE WORLDS. The cast is absolutely extraordinary! We can't believe our luck! It's a Sci-Fi dream team!"

Following the performance, audience members can attend a post-show party and bid on seven exclusive "WAR OF THE WORLDS" posters designed specifically for this event by some of LA's hottest comic book and Sci-Fi artists.

Tickets for the event are currently available for donors contributing to the festival at the "Shooting Star" level or higher and includes an after-party with members of the cast. For more information on the event and instructions on how to obtain tickets, visit www.Sci-Fest.com

"War of the Worlds" was originally performed on October 30, 1938, and aired over the CBS radio network. Conceived, directed and narrated by Orson Welles, the story was adapted by Howard Koch based on the novel by H.G. Wells. The program (innovatively staged as an urgent news broadcast) became famous for causing mass panic, although the extent of this panic is debated.

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