NY Theatre Artists Rally In Effort For Australian Bush Fire Relief With Benefit Performance Of THE DAY THE SKY TURNED

New York theater producers and artists have come together in support of relief and recovery from the bushfires still sweeping across Australia. The "CODE RED" campaign is a larger fundraising effort spearheaded by New York's theatre community that will be launched with two performances of the critically acclaimed play THE DAY THE SKY TURNED at THE TANK in New York City. Tickets are available at TheTankNYC.org.

On February 7th 2009, Australia was ravaged by firestorms releasing the energy of 1500 atomic bombs. Inspired by interviews with survivors, journalists & psychologists, THE DAY THE SKY TURNED by Ali Kennedy Scott is an "ENTHRALLING" (THE NEW YORK TIMES) tribute to courage, humor amidst adversity and hope. As fires sweep through the tinder dry country at speed, residents prepare for the usual summer bushfire season, unaware of the magnitude of the coming fires. By day's end, fire has claimed 173 lives and destroyed an area of land 51 times the size of Manhattan.

Examining the lives of 4 survivors and the mother of an arsonist, the play charts the journey from before the fire's arrival, to returning home & the rebuilding of lives & communities. THE DAY THE SKY TURNED is "a humbling & uplifting experience" (Arts Hub Australia) and gives a piercing glance into the tragedy facing Australia today.

"At the time this play was written, the Black Saturday fires were the worst we had ever experienced. They were devastating but we recovered and made strategies for the future. Since then, temperatures in Australia have risen and conditions have become gradually more deadly. What this play does brilliantly is show the human experience of being inside those fires, and the loss that so many Australians are experiencing right now," says Director Benita de Wit.

The cast of stars Nicolle Bradford, Mark Dessaix, Alexis Fishman, Eleanor Handley, and Ali Kennedy Scott, with direction by Benita de Wit. Produced by Hayden Anderson, Tekla Gaughan, Kit Goldstein Grant, Jennifer Greenfield, Ali Kennedy Scott, Zach Zamchick, and Rikki Ziegelman, the creative team is rounded out by Brendan de la Hay, Isaac Hayward, Afsoon Pajoufar, Chris Thielking, and Xuan Zhang.

All funds raised from "CODE RED," along with the proceeds from THE DAY THE SKY TURNED will benefit NSW Rural Fire Services & Brigades and WIRES: The NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service directly.