City Winery D.C. Hosts 8 NIGHTS OF EIGHT NIGHTS A National Fundraiser For HIAS

EIGHT NIGHTS, a new play from award-winning playwright Jennifer Maisel, is having a unique introduction to audiences - a series of benefit staged readings across America. The 8 Nights of EIGHT NIGHTS series will occur on at least 8 different nights in at least 8 different cities, to raise funds and awareness for HIAS.

Night 3 of 8 Nights of EIGHT NIGHTS will be directed by Adam Immerwahr, Theater J's artistic director and co-produced by Wayne Firestone of Plays2Gather. The staged reading will feature stellar performances by Susan Rome, Michael Russotto, Awa Sal Secka, Laura C. Harris, Jonathan David Martin, Ryan Sellers and Tyler Herman.

EIGHT NIGHTS tells the story of a nineteen-year-old German-Jewish refugee, Rebecca Blum, as she forges a new life in America after surviving a concentration camp. Gracefully weaving heart-aching moments with dark yet life-affirming humor, the play takes place over the eight nights of Hanukkah, spanning eight decades of her life. EIGHT NIGHTS explores the refugee experience, not just of Jewish immigrants, but also the trauma mirrored in the African-American community, the interned Japanese citizens, and the current Syrian crisis.

The "8 Nights of EIGHT NIGHTS" plan came into focus in the wake of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. Rachel Leventhal, long-time collaborator of Maisel's, had attended a reading of Eight Nights at Antaeus Theatre in Los Angeles, and approached Maisel about producing a series of readings to benefit HIAS. "I couldn't get the play out of my mind," explained Leventhal, "I was so struck by the story's relevance to this moment in history."

A Panel Discussion following the reading will be moderated by Pulitzer Prize winning author Eric Lichtblau, along with Heather Booth, a leading strategist on progressive issues and electoral campaigns, Jonathan Jayes-Green, co-founder and Director of the UndocuBlack Network (UBN), Rachel Levitan, Vice President of International Programs at HIAS, and Jennifer Maisel, EIGHT NIGHTS playwright.

Previous performances include Night 1, December 9, 2018, at Denver's prominent Curious Theatre in association with Theatre Or, directed by Amy Feinberg. Night 2 on April 8 at City Winery NYC, produced by Bay Street Theater and Jewish Plays Project, and directed by Will Pomerantz. Future performances to be held at the Jewish Community of Stowe VT on July 22, City Winery Chicago on September 22, Congregation Bet Haverim of Davis, CA on October 13 and San Diego Center for Jewish Culture CA on November 19.

Buy Tickets to the Washington DC event here: http://bit.ly/8Nights_CityWineryWashingtonDC_GetTickets

Contribute directly to HIAS at 8 NIGHTS of EIGHT NIGHTS campaign landing page: http://bit.ly/8NightsOfEightNights-HIAS-Fundraiser

HIAS is the global Jewish nonprofit that protects refugees-including women and children, and ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities- whose lives are in danger for being who they are. Guided by our values and history, HIAS works in the United States and 10 countries around the world to help refugees rebuild their lives in safety and advocates to ensure that all displaced people are treated with dignity. Follow @HIASrefugees on social media and visit hias.org for more information

Theater J is a nationally-renowned professional theater that celebrates, explores and struggles with the complexities and nuances of both the Jewish experience and the universal human condition. Our work illuminates and examines ethical questions of our time, inter-cultural experiences that parallel our own, and the changing landscape of Jewish identities. As the nation's largest and most prominent Jewish theater, we aim to preserve and expand a rich Jewish theatrical tradition and to create community and commonality through theater-going experiences.

8 Nights of EIGHT NIGHTS Schedule

Night 1: Denver CO, 12/9/18
Curious Theatre in association with Theatre Or. Directed by Amy Feinberg

Night 2: New York City, NY 4/8/19
Bay Street Theater and Jewish Plays Project. Hosted by City Winery NYC.
Directed by Will Pomerantz

Night 3: Washington DC, 6/24/19
Theater J and Plays2Gather. Hosted by City Winery Washington DC.
Directed by Adam Immerwahr

Night 4: Stowe VT, 7/22/19
Jewish Community of Greater Stowe. Directed by Wendi Stein

Night 5: Chicago IL, 9/22/19
Hosted by City Winery Chicago, more details coming soon

Night 6: Davis CA, 10/13/19
Congregation Bet Haverim. Directed by Ariella Wolfe

Night 7: San Diego, CA 11/19/19
San Diego Center for Jewish Culture. More details coming soon

Night 8: In the works! Future nights to be scheduled in Boston MA, Detroit MI, Pittsburgh PA, Atlanta GA, Portland OR, Ashland OR, Dallas TX, Raleigh NC, New Orleans LA, Los Angeles CA and Ithaca NY!

Interested in bringing 8 Nights of EIGHT NIGHTS to your community? Reach out to us at 8NightsofEIGHTNIGHTS@gmail.com!

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