“ S T A N D I N G   O N   C E R E M O N Y:

T H E   G A Y   M A R R I A G E   P L A Y S ”

TAKES ITS MESSAGE GLOBAL

SIMULTANEOUS PERFORMANCES PLANNED

AT THEATRES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD

FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY ON NOVEMBER 7

OPEN-ENDED NEW YORK ENGAGEMENT BEGINS

PREVIEWS NOVEMBER 7 AT 8:00 PM

AT MINETTA LANE THEATRE

New York, NY – Joan Stein and Richard Frankel (Producers) announced today that the new theatrical event Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays, which premieres in an open-ended engagement Off Broadway at the Minetta Lane Theatre this fall, will join with Tectonic Theater Project (Moisés Kaufman, Artistic Director; Greg Reiner, Executive Director) for Standing on Ceremony: The National Event, to help take the play’s message across the country (and the globe).  For one night only, on Monday, November 7, curtains will rise on Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays across America and beyond as participating theaters everywhere present the play to raise awareness and funds in support of marriage equality.  Marriage equality is an issue that transcends borders, and it’s vital that the message of Standing On Ceremony reaches far and wide.  The event will raise money for local, state and national marriage equality organizations.

The Off Broadway production of Standing On Ceremony will kick off its open-ended run with this special performance at 8:00 PM, which will feature an introduction before the play that will be streamed live to participating theatres across the globe.  Audience members can also watch a live streaming post performance Q&A, and can participate regardless of their locale, by submitting questions via Twitter in real time. 

To date, more than 25 theatres and universities are confirmed to participate, in 19 states across America including: Texas, North Dakota, Florida, Kansas and Michigan, where both gay marriage and civil unions are banned; North Carolina, where the vote on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage was moved up to 2012; California, where gay marriage was legalized and then overturned by the passage of Proposition 8 in 2008; and many states where marriage equality is not yet a reality.  Beyond America, theatres as far flung as Sydney, Australia will also participate, making this a truly international event. 

Moisés Kaufman, Artistic Director of Tectonic Theater Project and contributing Standing On Ceremonyplaywright commented, “After the success of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, we are thrilled to partner with Standing On Ceremony to facilitate another national convening with this beautiful collection of plays about a timely and urgent issue.”

For more information about participating theatres and how to see Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Playson November 7 in your state, visit the show’s Facebook site at http://on.fb.me/standingonceremony.  Ticket prices vary depending on location and theatre.

ABOUT STANDING ON CEREMONY                                                                                         

Conceived by Brian Shnipper and directed by Stuart Ross, Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays began as a series of benefit events in Los Angeles, taking on a life of their own as an inspiring theatrical evening.  The show begins previews at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane) on Monday, November 7 with an official opening night set for Sunday, November 13.  As was established in Los Angeles, a portion of each ticket purchased to every performance of Standing On Ceremony will be donated to marriage equality organizations.

Responding to one of the defining issues of our day -- the on-going battle for marriage equality throughout the United States --  some of America’s most illustrious and Award-winning playwrights, including Heideman Award winner Jordan Harrison, Edgar Award winner Jeffrey Hatcher,  Tony Award nominee Moisés Kaufman, Emmy and WGA Award winner Joe Keenan, Tony Award nominee Neil LaBute, Sundance Jury Prize winner Wendy MacLeod, Obie Award winner José Rivera, Obie and Outer Critics Circle Award winner Paul Rudnick, and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Doug Wright, have created a heartfelt, funny and altogether illuminating evening that celebrates the courage to be in a relationship – any relationship.  

ABOUT TECTONIC THEATER PROJECT                                                                                              

Tectonic Theater Project is an award-winning company whose plays have been performed around the world.  The company is dedicated to developing innovative works that explore theatrical language and form, fostering an artistic dialogue with our audiences on the social, political and human issues that affect us all.  In service to this goal, Tectonic supports readings, workshops, and full theatrical productions, as well as training for students around the country in our play-making techniques.  Tectonic Theater Project was founded in 1991 by Moisés Kaufman and Jeffrey LaHoste.  Tectonic refers to the art and science of structure and was chosen to emphasize the company's interest in construction-- how things are made, and how they might be made differently.

Its groundbreaking plays, The Laramie Project, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, and I Am My Own Wife, have sparked national discourse about their subjects and have inspired artists and audiences worldwide.  In 2009, Tectonic Theater Project brought The Laramie Project to 100 cities across America, when it was performed simultaneously by high schools, universities and professional theatres.

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