Penny Jackson Joins Playwrights For A Cause Lineup at Atlantic Theatre

The final writer for the annual Playwrights for a Cause benefit is Penny Jackson, and her play is BEFORE. The event will be Sunday, July 24th at 7:30 pm at the Atlantic Theatre (Linda Gross Theater), 336 West 20th Street, NYC 10011. The special performance will include five original plays. Penny Jackson stated "I am so proud to be supporting New Yorkers Against Gun Violence at the Planet Connections Playwrights For A Cause benefit. I am so grateful to be included with several of the most remarkable playwrights writing today: Israel Horovitz, Dominique Morisseau, John Patrick Shanley and Regina Taylor. Together our plays will confirm the message of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence to reduce gun violence through legislative advocacy and education." She will be joining these playwrights for the benefit with their new plays for Playwrights for a Cause that will include: Security byIsrael Horovitz ; Jezelle the Gazelle by Dominique Morisseau; Doublecross by John Patrick Shanley; and Biting the Bullet by Regina Taylor

Planet Connections Artistic Director Brock Hill stated "I'm so pleased Penny Jackson was selected from the Planet Connections community to present in PFAC this season. Through the years, Penny has been an active member of our community, regularly presenting work with our festival, and supporting all of our previous PFACs and other events. She continues to develop as a playwright and we're looking forward to presenting her at the Atlantic this season."

The selection process begins with submissions from past playwrights who have have won or been nominated for a Planet Connections Award specifically for writing. The Artistic Committee received over 30 submissions. Then 5 scripts are recommended to the Planet Connections Board. The board then chose 3 of these 5 scripts to continue on to the final selection. Of the final 3, the featured playwrights for the benefit vote for the winner to be featured along with their pieces in this year's Playwrights For A Cause. This submission process continues and all eligible applicants are encouraged to apply for next season.

Penny Jackson's plays have been produced off Broadway at The Lion Theater and Studio Theater at Theater Row. Internationally, her plays have been part of The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and The Dublin International Gay Theater Festival. New plays have been developed at Dixon Place and The Roundtable at The Lark Play Development Center. Awards include a MacDowell Fellowship, The Pushcart Prize and The Elizabeth Janeway prize from Barnard College. Penny's screenplays include an adaptation of her novel, Becoming the Butlers, published by Bantam Books, which was optioned by Warner Brothers. Her play, I Know What Boys Want is taught at various universities including The University of Georgia and SUNY/Stonybrook. Her plays are published by Next Stages Press and Indie Theater Now. Penny is a member of The League of Professional Theatre Women and The Dramatists Guild. SAFE which won outstanding playwriting for a new script in Planet Connections Theater Festival in 2012 will be produced this September in the curated theater series at the 14th Street Y Theater.

Founded and curated by Glory Kadigan, Playwrights for a Cause is the annual benefit hosted by Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. This year the event will benefit the wonderful group - New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. There will be a reception following the performance. The cast and production team will be announced soon. Benefit tickets for reserved seating will be $20 - $125. The tickets will be on sale at a later date.

Planet Connections Theatre Festivity is New York's premiere socially-conscious theatre, music and film festival. The entire festival is aligned to help artists shine a light on the issues facing our society and support the organizations working to make a difference. The 2016 Theatre Festivity will run from June 13th-July 10th at the Paradise Factory (located at 64 East 4th Street between the Bowery and 2nd Avenue), and will also play host to special events at various locations in New York City's East Village. The full lineup for the Festivity will be announced shortly. For more information on Planet Connections visit: www.planetconnections.org