Benefit Reading of Eric Ulloa's 26 PEBBLES 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.

On December 14, 2012, 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children and 6 adult staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown. The tragedy captured the attention - and broke the hearts - of the entire nation. These 26 innocent deaths - referred to by one Newtown resident as "pebbles thrown into a pond" - created ripples and vibrations that were felt across the country and beyond. Proceeds from this event will benefit gun safety organizations Everytown for Gun Safety and the Newtown Action Alliance.

Playwright Ulloa conducted interviews with residents of Newtown in the months after the tragedy - including shop owners, parents of students, religious leaders, spiritualists, town workers and others who were touched by the tragedy. These interviews create a new verbatim play about the lasting impact of gun violence in a community.

The cast features some of Washington DC's most socially engaged and dynamic 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.

Molly Smith, one of the organizers of the March on Washington for Gun Control says: "As a private citizen, I am responding to the epidemic of gun violence through Eric's beautiful play about Newtown. Over 30,000 people die each year from gun violence in America. On a yearly basis we lose more lives from gun violence than the Ebola epidemic in Africa or prostate cancer in the United States. We need common sense regulations now. The right to own a gun is not the right to own any kind of gun."

The original steering committee for The March on Washington for Gun Control described the organization in December of 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 of 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 news letters 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.