Theatre East 5X5 Drama Series And World Pride Celebrate Pride Across NYC

Theatre East announces the five casts of the 2018-2019 5X5 Drama Series: Lara Americo, Cara Feuer, Corey Finzel, Raguel Gabriel, Sam Gonzalez, Olivia Hartshorn, Christa Kimlicko Jones, Monique "Orisha Love" Letamendi, Edward Mawere, Owen Grayson Schiller, Kesley Sheppard, Emily Verla, and James Yuhas. The 5 directors at the helm are Christa Kimlicko Jones, Judson Jones, Chelsea B. Lockie, Caterina Nonis, and Graham Schmidt.

The 5X5 Drama Series brings performances beyond the footlights and into non-traditional spaces in all five boroughs for a unique immersive audience experience. Theatre East is an Official Partner of World Pride, and this year's 5X5 Drama Series features original, commissioned work celebrating the LGBTQ+ community as we remember the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Fulfilling one of Theatre East's core beliefs of making theatre accessible to all, tickets are available on a suggested donation basis.

The 5 borough tour began on Saturday on Staten Island and will make its way to Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and will finish up on June 27 in The Bronx. The 5X5 Drama Series is proudly sponsored by Everything Goes Bookstore, 61 Local, Mott Haven Bar & Grill, O'Lunney's Times Square Pub, and The Astorian.

Theatre East is a 501(c)3 nonprofit theatre company whose mission is to provide the community with a platform to deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world we share through works of theatre that utilize simple storytelling. The New York-based company believes that theatre is not a luxury, but should be accessible to all, regardless of economic or social status.

The company was founded in 2008 by husband-and-wife producing partners Judson Jones (Artistic Director) and Christa Kimlicko Jones (Associate Artistic Director), along with Joseph Mitchell Parks, after producing such hits as the premiere of Christopher Durang's THE VIETNAMIZATION OF NEW JERSEY (NY Times Critic's Pick), and the premiere of Texas playwright David W. Crawford's HARVEST (BackStage Critic's Pick, Smith & Kraus Best New Plays of 2008), as well as earning a spot as producers to watch in 2008 on PBS's Theater Talk. Since its founding, Theatre East has mounted such critically acclaimed New York and World Premieres as Tim Blake Nelson's EYE OF GOD, Daniel McIvor's THE SOLDIER DREAMS, Bennett Windheim's NORMALCY, Megan O'Brien's THE JUNGLE BOOK, DEVIL AND THE DEEP with original music and lyrics by Air Supply's Graham Russell, Cyndi Williams' A NAME FOR A GHOST TO MUTTER, Lori Fischer's PETIE, and most recently, the rare and critically praised revival of Romulus Linney's HOLY GHOSTS.

For more information visit www.theatreeast.org