Zoom Reading Of ONE EMPIRE, UNDER GOD Scheduled For October 16

On October 16th at 7pm, One Empire, Under God - the new full-length play by Anthony J. Piccione - will be presented as a dramatic reading to an intimate audience online via Zoom, in advance of a full production being planned for when theaters reopen. Following the performance, attendees are invited to stay for a talkback - moderated by co-producer Jay Michaels - featuring the playwright, director & cast of the reading.

Attendees may register using the Zoom webinar link, which can be accessed by becoming a patron to the ongoing Patreon campaign to bring One Empire, Under God to an Off-Broadway stage at www.patreon.com/oneempireundergod.

Set in the far distant future, One Empire, Under God is an epic, dystopian drama in two-acts which tells the story of how an emotionally disturbed young man - with the help of virtual media technology - is able to rise to political power by inciting an uprising against America's openly atheist president, and subverting democratic and military rule throughout Western civilization, paving the way for him and his descendants to rule for generations to come. Every step toward a more perfect union is followed by an enormous reactionary backlash. That historical trend remains very much alive in the future, as seen in this provocative critique of nationalism, imperialism, and religious extremism.

The play is directed by Andrés Gallardo Bustillo, who was previously the associate director of Piccione's full-length drama A Therapy Session with Myself. He is the Associate Artistic Director of The Phoenix Theatre in the Philadelphia area, where he was the associate director and choreographer on their production of The Tempest. Additionally, he has previously directed shows at the Davenport Theatre and the American Theatre of Actors. His acting credits include West Side Story, (Indio) Peter/Wendy, (Peter Pan) & My Magical Chivita, (The Man) and he is the founder of Cumbres Musical, a pre-professional theatre program in Colombia.

Mr. Piccione - who is co-producing the play with longtime arts professional Jay Michaels - previously wrote and produced his debut full-length drama A Therapy Session with Myself at the Kraine Theater from May 2019 until it was ultimately forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now published with Smith Scripts (www.smithscripts.co.uk) and is being adapted into a screenplay. Additionally, his eclectic canon of one-acts has been produced at The Tank, the Hudson Guild Theater, and various other NYC and regional venues, and are published at Smith Scripts, Heuer Publishing & Off the Wall Plays. His short drama, What I Left Behind, was named the NYWinterfest's Best Short Play of 2018, and he was also nominated for Planet Connections Theatre Festivity's Outstanding Playwright Award for his avant-garde performance piece, 4 $tages. He also works as a scriptwriter-for-hire, and his work has been commissioned by Sesame Workshop, Speaks Volumes Productions, and various other clients.