NEW YORK, NY – On Thursday evening, in the Gramercy Park neighborhood at The Players, WORDTheatre celebrated their 20th anniversary with short stories and musical performances.
New York, NY – 10/19/23 – Cedering Fox
-PICTURED: Cedering Fox (Founder & Artistic Director of WordTheatre)
-PHOTO by: Marion Curtis / StarPix
-Location: The Players, Gramercy Park, NYC
The evening began with opening remarks from WORDTheatre’s Founder and Artistic Director, Cedering Fox, who is also the daughter of Swedish-American award-winning poet, Siv Cedering. Giving the audience a preview of what was to come, she remarked how special it was to have honoree Joyce Carol Oates in the room.
For the next hour and a half, twenty or so different actors and actresses came up to the stage. Most performances consisted of one individual on stage, centered around themes such as the pursuit of love, musings over lost love, and death.
Actors included Griffin Dunne, Maggie Siff, Mark Moses, Catherine Dent, Brooke Adams, Tony Shalhoub, Kevin Corrigan, Samantha Mathis, Linus Roache, Emily Bergl, James Cromwell, Michael Boatman, Antonique Smith, Keith Randolph Smith, Raul Castillo, Julianna Margulies, Carla Gugino, Richard Schiff, Len Cariou, and Vincent Piazza.
New York, NY – 10/19/23 – Antonique Smith (performance) attends the WORDTheatre’s 20th Anniversary Celebration, Sponsored by Phiphen Studios & Randy and Jane Sinisi
-PICTURED: Antonique Smith (performance)
-PHOTO by: Marion Curtis / StarPix
-Location: The Players, Gramercy Park, NYC
Actress Antonique Smith also sang her rendition of Let it Be (Paul McCartney & John Lennon) to close the evening out, receiving a standing ovation from the audience. She was accompanied by the composer and pianist Jonathan Maestro, who also opened the performance with Emily Bergl singing The Only True Companion.
New York, NY – 10/19/23 – Joyce Carol Oates (Award Recipient) attends the WORDTheatre’s 20th Anniversary Celebration, Sponsored by Phiphen Studios & Randy and Jane Sinisi
-PICTURED: Joyce Carol Oates (Award Recipient)
-PHOTO by: Marion Curtis / StarPix
-Location: The Players, Gramercy Park, NYC
After the performances, Cedering Fox returned to the stage to present the WORDTheatre Storyteller Award to American actor Stephen McKinley Henderson and American author Joyce Carol Oates, bestowing a sculpture by Hans Van de Bovenkamp to the latter recipient (Henderson received his honor in absentia).
Guests at the event
WORDTheatre is a non-profit organization that showcases readings of short stories, putting on performances across the country in Los Angeles and New York, and overseas in London.