26 PEBBLES Benefit Reading Set for Arena Stage, 8/24

The March on Washington for Gun Control will present a Benefit reading of a Newtown documentary theater piece 26 Pebbles by Eric Ulloa on August 24 at 8:00 p.m. at Arena Stage at the Mead Center of American Theater directed by Molly Smith. This is a stirring new play that explores the power of community in the face of the tragedy in Newtown, CT and proceeds will benefit Everytown for Gun Safety and the Newtown Action Alliance.

"To bring 26 Pebbles to our nation's capital, is an exciting step in further allowing the messages of this play to resonate, bringing it right to the front door of where change is made daily. Opinions are easy to ignore, but this play presents the facts from the very people who lived within this tragedy, its aftermath and the messages of hope they inspire. Hopefully these stories continue to ripple out and eventually make their way through the Capital's iron dome and into some practical solutions." - Eric Ulloa

Nicholas Rodriguez (Oklahoma) will join already announced actors: Edward Gero (The Originalist), Naomi Jacobson (Mary T. and Lizzie K.), Dorea Schmidt (Fiddler on the Roof), Lise Bruneau (Legacy of Light), Hannah Willman (My Fair Lady), and Joshua Morgan (Fiddler on the Roof) reading stage directions. Susan White will stage manage.

Funds from the reading will support Everytown for Gun Safety and the Newtown Action Alliance. Everytown for Gun Safety is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the United States with more than three million supporters, including moms, mayors, survivors, and everyday Americans who are fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and help save lives. At the core of Everytown are Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots movement of American mothers founded the day after the Sandy Hook tragedy. Learn more at www.everytown.org and follow at @Everytown.

The Newtown Action Alliance is an action-based grassroots organization that was formed spontaneously by Newtown residents after the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary.

They are dedicated to reversing the escalating gun violence epidemic in this nation through the introduction of smarter, safer gun laws and broader cultural change. Ordinary citizens stepped up to #HonorWithAction to #EndGunViolence by collaborating with families of victims of gun violence and gun violence prevention advocates from across the country, to advance the conversation, and bring common sense to the gun laws in our nation. The goals of The Newtown Action Alliance are to: support policies and state legislators as they work to pass smarter, safer gun laws; support policies and federal legislators as they work to pass smarter, safer gun laws; and work together with other gun safety organizations towards safer schools, streets, towns, and cities.

The original steering committee for The March on Washington for Gun Control described the organization in December 2012 as follows: "We are a non-partisan group of concerned citizens who have gathered together to create a March on Washington for Gun Control. We have coalesced around a common cause. For us, the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School was a turning point and we believe now is the moment to act. When we stand together, we stand a chance."

The March in January 2013 was just the beginning of the organization, as members continue to call, write, email, remain active on social media, and visit their representatives and discuss the issue of gun violence. The March on Washington for Gun Control newsletters can be received via email by signing up at the following link: http://eepurl.com/ued05

Tickets for the Benefit reading of 26 Pebbles are $20, subject to change and based on availability. Tickets may be purchased online at http://tickets.arenastage.org/single/SelectSeating.aspx?p=22453, by phone at 202-488-3300 or at the Arena Stage Sales Office at 1101 Sixth St., SW, DC.