Ned Eisenberg Joins HERO's Benefit Reading of As You Like It Dec 5

Ned Eisenberg (Awake and Sing) and Eileen DeSandre (Lifetime member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival) join the cast of HERO Theatre's benefit reading of "As You Like It", on Monday December 5th, 2011, 7:30PM at the Flea Theatre, 41 White Street, New York City, as part of the company's first reading series. Acclaimed director Jackson Gay directs a cast featuring Tony-nominee Omar Metwally (Sixteen Wounded) alongside an ensemble of emerging artists. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at www.HEROtheatre.org.

This crowd-pleasing Shakespeare comedy will be presented with live music. The cast also includes Elisa Bocanegra, Eddie Brown, Teddy Cañez, Jose Febus, Kevin Fugaro, Nina Kassa,

Tom Kopache, Anya Migdal, Alfredo Narciso, Stephen Park, Kevin Reed, Krystal Rowley, and Jerry Stilianessis.

Olympia Dukakis is head of HERO Theatre's Advisory Board. Other members include Michael Ritchie (Artistic Director of the Center Theatre Group), Jenny Gersten (Artistic Director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival), Bill Rauch (Artistic Director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival), esteemed director Michael Wilson, acclaimed actor Michael Cumpsty, distinguished playwright Migdalia Cruz, noted Russian writer Tatyana Tolstaya and Judy Bowman of Judy Bowman Casting.

HERO's ensemble consists of some of today's most notable and emerging actors from diverse backgrounds and training in stage, television and film. The company's mission is to build bridges between various cultures by presenting the classics and adaptations of the classics using their multi-ethnic ensemble of actors. The company also strives to create a community of artists committed to working on the classics and new works inspired by the classics. Elisa Bocanegra, Artistic Director, and Anya Migdal, Producing Director founded HERO Theatre earlier this year which had its benefit launch in August with a presentation of Chekhov's "Three Sisters" directed by Lisa Peterson.

Bocanegra and Migdal's inspiration for HERO Theatre came about from the encouragement and support of their respected colleagues, many of whom have donated their time, talent and name to HERO's advisory board and its numerous events. This performance is the third in HERO's Reading Series and its fundraising efforts to mount future productions.

For more information about HERO Theatre and other productions scheduled for 2012, visit www.?HEROtheatre.org.