The Theatre Lab's 5th Annual Dramathon Returning Next Month

Returning for its fifth year, The Theatre Lab's Dramathon, May 15 at 10:30 p.m. at Theater J, once again joins together the talents of some of the DC area's most well-known actors and accomplished playwrights - along with Theatre Lab students and alumni - in world premiere staged readings of short plays written for that night. All proceeds generated by the event go toward The Theatre Lab's scholarship fund.

A stellar list of award-winning and nominated actors will be taking the stage for the cause: Gabriela Fernandez-Coffey, Christopher Henley, Nanna Ingvarsson, Michael Russotto, Deidra LaWan Starnes, Holly Twyford, and MaryBeth Wise as well as The Theatre Lab's own Buzz Mauro.

They will be appearing in plays written by: Norman Allen, Bob Bartlett, Renee Calarco, Ally Currin, Jacqueline Lawton, Elizabeth Pringle, Mary Hall Surface and Laura Zam. The readings will be directed by DC theatre notables Randy Baker, Mitchell Hébert, Bill Largess, Ryan Maxwell and Walter Ware.

The Dramathon is a signature event of The Theatre Lab's Send a Kid to Camp campaign. Volunteers raise money for the scholarship fund, and the top fundraisers earn spots on stage next to the professionals. All the actors, playwrights, and directors are graciously donating their time for the event, doing their part to help The Theatre Lab provide $83,000 in scholarship assistance to send more than 90 low-income children and teens to its award-winning summer acting camps and musical theatre institutes. Since 2006, more than $475,000 in scholarship funds has been raised to help send kids to camp.

(A collection of plays from the event's first three years, Plays of the Dramathon, is available for purchase online.)

Tickets for the event are $15 each, and may be purchased online at www.theatrelab.org or by calling (202) 824-0449.