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Warhol Factory Revisited In New Play

The Other Side of Silence’s Doric Wilson Playwrights Project will present a special reading of Paul Iacono’s new play “HIGH PRIEST: Confessions From The Warhol Factory” at The Flea Theater for one night only on Monday August 18th at 7P. The play is directed by Rachel Klein (Bettie Page: Queen of Pinups on the West End, The Gospel According to Heather). HIGH PRIEST tells the wild untold story of Warhol Superstar Ondine (Robert Olivo) a brilliant gay performance artist & self-proclaimed “Pope of the amphetamine people” charting his rise & fall inside Andy Warhol’s 1960s Silver Factory only to discover the true cost of superstardom. Featuring an iconic ensemble of Factory Superstars the cast includes Paul Iacono (Ondine), Brady Dalton Richards (Andy Warhol), Alice Kremelberg (Edie Sedgwick), Zane Pais (Billy Name), Hannah Solow (Brigid Polk), Peter Vack (Paul Morrissey), Andrew Bova (Gerard Malanga), Katherine Crockett (Nico, Valerie Solanas), Keith Rapp (Lou Reed) & Barrett Leddy (Rotten Rita, Jonas Mekas). HIGH PRIEST is written by Paul Iacono with music supervision by Peter Saxe. Jasmin Sanchez serves as stage manager. Graphic Design is by Jason Sedgwick. Founded in 1974, The Other Side of Silence (TOSOS) is NYC’s oldest & longest-producing LGBTQ+ theater company dedicated to an honest & open exploration of the life experience & cultural sensibility of the LGBTQ+ community & to preserving & promoting our literary past in a determined effort to keep our theatrical heritage alive. The photograph of Andy Warhol & Ondine is by Billy Name used with permission from his estate. 
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Rogue Theater Festival Annual Event

Rogue Theatre Festival (RTF) returns with a bold & eclectic lineup for their 7th annual celebration of new works at the Flea Theatre in Tribeca, NYC with performances running August 4th to 10th. This year the festival will showcase 37 original plays & musicals including fully staged productions, short plays, staged readings & digital streaming performances in association with Abingdon Theatre Company. Staged Readings will be performed in The Pete theatre series of Shorts & Fully Staged productions taking place in The Siggy at The Flea. Allison Hohman, RTF founder stated, “Rogues namesake came from the mission of exploring what a theater festival could be. I wanted to create a space that could allow theater of all different forms to grow & that could make room for creators of all different experience levels to see their work on stage. Rogue is a self proclaimed mom & pops festival experience where support & individual attention are number one. I hope audiences are reminded that Indie theater is alive, well & incredibly worthy of your attention. Every playwright you see on Broadway got started self-producing their own shows in a basement. Rogue's goal has always been to shine a spotlight on artists of the next generation and to be a stepping stone for them on their journey. We hope the audiences that come & support these artists explore other indie theater opportunities in their backyard”. The festival’s diverse lineup explores a wide range of themes such as the LGBTQIA+ experience, the pursuit of the American dream, World War II, death & grief & life in NYC including stories set in Queens, Brooklyn & a haunted house in Staten Island. 
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Producer Jeffrey Seller Memoir Event

Broadway producer Jeffrey Seller best known for his work on Rent (1996), Avenue Q (2003), In the Heights (2008) & Hamilton (2015) will be discussing his newly-released memoir “Theater Kid” with Stonewall National Museum, Archives, & Library (SNMAL) President & CEO Robert Kesten on Tuesday July 22nd at 6P EST via Zoom. Kesten stated, “Introducing Jeffrey as the complex & creative man, often behind the scenes, he is, is a way to remind our community of how much we contribute to global culture. The musicals he brought to life have transformed the world of modern musical theater. He has come a long way from the young Detroit man who struggled to find his voice & his story is an inspiration for young & old in our community. During this time of intense division for many across the LGBTQ+ community, Seller’s story is a vibrant reminder of what we have overcome to survive, as well as the importance of those stories in the entertainment world. We look forward to sharing his legacy with our supporters." Already a #1 bestseller on Amazon “Theater Kid’ delves into Seller’s harsh upbringing from struggling with his adoption to understanding his sexuality to escaping his childhood home & adapting to New York life during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis while building connections with industry icons like Jonathan Larson & Lin-Manuel Miranda. Jeffrey Seller is one of the most successful American producers of our time. His Broadway productions & tours have grossed over $4.6 billion & reached more than 43 million attendees & he's the only producer to have mounted 2 Pulitzer Prize winning musicals for Hamilton & Rent as well as numerous Tony awards. 
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Sultan Shakir Joins PFLAG National

PFLAG National announced that Sultan Shakir has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer. Since June the org has added seven new PFLAG chapters in June among 30 new chapters since January & the new COO role will guide the organization’s continued strategic impact to meet community demand for services. Brian K. Bond, PFLAG National CEO stated, “Sultan is an experienced, well-respected nonprofit leader whose strategic guidance has strengthened each organization he has worked with. It is clear that in his first quarter as COO for PFLAG National, he has already made an impact.” Shakir concluded, “This work is deeply personal to me as a queer Muslim who found affirmation & community in spaces like the ones PFLAG creates. I am honored to join PFLAG National at this pivotal time. The parents, family members & allies of LGBTQ+ people are such a critical voice in the national debate. I’m excited to support the work of elevating those voices & increasing national impact as we strive to ensure LGBTQ+ individuals—especially young people—are not only protected but celebrated.” Shakir returns to Washington, D.C. after serving as President & Executive Officer of the Mazzoni Center in Philadelphia since 2022. Prior to that Shakir was Executive Director of LGBTQ youth services provider SMYAL where he greatly expanded that org’s programming, budget & footprint to better serve youth in our nation’s capital including adding a housing program to help vulnerable young people transition from homelessness to independence during his seven-year tenure. Since 1973 PFLAG has worked with LGBTQ people, parents, families & allies every day to ensure LGBTQ people everywhere are safe, celebrated, empowered & loved. 
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Liz Callaway Hamptons Songbook Event

Donna Rubin & Josh Gladstone present Broadway Diva Liz Callaway who will perform “Broadway & Beyond” on Saturday July 19th in the second season of their celebrated series Hamptons Summer Songbook By The Sea at LTV Studios in Wainscott, NY. Callaway will showcase her historic career featuring songs from Broadway shows she has starred in including her Tony-nominated “Baby” & her long-run belting “Memory” in “Cats” alongside songs from the silver screen as well as songs from her recording career performing a spellbinding sampler platter of what has been described as “the voice of a generation”. Liz stated, “I’m so looking forward to singing my “Broadway & Beyond” Show at Hamptons Summer Songbook By The Sea on Saturday night with my one-man orchestra, Alex Rybeck.” Don’t miss this opportunity to witness Callaway in a spectacular concert that highlights her incredible vocal talent & stage presence. Liz showcases her storied career in a concert featuring songs from her Broadway shows along with songs from her recording career including her Grammy nominated album “To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim” that was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album & her Oscar-nominated hit from “Anastasia”. Liz will be accompanied by Alex Rybeck on piano. LTV Studios in East Hampton is bringing world-class cabaret & Broadway talent to the East End in the second season of its celebrated series Hamptons Summer Songbook By The Sea. Liz Callaway Broadway & Beyond general admission seating is $64 on a first come first served basis & VIP reserved cocktail table seats are $104 & includes a drink ticket. 
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Richard Skipper Storytelling Events

Rainbow Entertainment Group is presenting the fabulous Richard Skipper who has been entertaining audiences for over 30 years for 2 shows at The Art House in Provincetown, MA on August 4th & 5th at 8:30P. These unscripted cabaret experiences are interactive with audience participation & will be filled with laughter, music & surprises that puts the spotlight on Richard’s remarkable journey directed by James Beaman with musical direction by Dan Pardo & special guest opener Chrissy Pardo. Then for one night only on August 22nd at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC Skipper presents his “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Richard Skipper (But Were Afraid to Ask)” that’s part cabaret, part talk show & 100% Richard providing unscripted, spontaneous & driven by audience questions. Richard stated, “Being back at The Laurie Beechman Theatre & returning to Provincetown in the same month is a true gift. These are two of my favorite places to perform because the audiences are so present, so ready to connect. The Beechman show is completely unscripted & different every time, shaped by real questions from the audience & Provincetown’s Hello, Dolly! tribute allows me to honor the show and Entertainers who shaped my own career. To bring these stories, songs & surprises to both coasts within weeks is a dream & I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone.” These fabulous events are part of Richard’s ongoing mission to perform in all 50 states celebrating storytelling, community & connection through live performance. I talked to Richard about his work in this retro podcast. LISTEN 
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San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

The 45th San Francisco Jewish Film Festival takes place July 17th to August 3rd in San Francisco & the East Bay with a diverse lineup of fresh & bold films & events that celebrate independent filmmaking & Jewish identity in all its forms. In the meantime you can catch “Bad Shabbos” directed by Daniel Robbins & starring Kyra Sedgwick, Cliff "Method Man" Smith, David Paymer, Milana Vayntrub, Jon Bass, Meghan Leathers, Theo Taplitz, Catherine Curtin, John Bedford Lloyd & Ashley Zukerman now in theaters in limited release. Winner of the Audience Award for Best Narrative at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2024 it’s an incredible ensemble cast in this uproarious fabulous new comedy. I caught it last week & it’s a must-see. It about David & his fiancée Meg are about to have their parents meet for the first time over a Shabbat dinner on New York’s Upper West Side when a death gets in the way as Meg's Catholic parents are due any moment the family dinner soon spirals into a hilarious disaster. Sedgwick’s real-life mother was Jewish & father was Episcopalian. Kyra stated, "My connection with Judaism is really my ethics, my ethical culture. I really don't know very much about the religion at all but I do know you're allowed to question things. It's not just because God says so. The Torah is all about asking questions & having conversation. I think that it felt like a spiritual connection for me in that way." Kyra’s stepfather introduced Passover seders into their family but they still celebrated Christmas instead of Hanukkah. “Bad Shabbos” is distributed by Menemsha Films. WATCH TRAILER
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Connecticut Out Film Festival Awards

With a screening & after-party at the Connecticut Science Center in downtown Hartford the Connecticut Out Film Festival announced the winners of their 38th annual 9-day event. This year’s festival comprised 90 films including features, documentaries & shorts with nearly a dozen in-person screenings at the vintage Cinestudio theater on the Trinity College campus in Hartford as well as a wide range of virtual programs. Shane Engstrom, Out Film CT Festival Director stated, “Every year we try hard to select a lineup that our audience will love & judging by this year’s ballot results & comments we’ve received, we succeeded once again.” “Four Mothers” won the 2025 Audience Award for Best Feature Film. Shane Engstrom also presented the Director’s Award to Darren Thornton director of “Four Mothers” stating, “Darren told a personal story with a universal message that was both deeply touching & uplifting. Additionally, he went above & beyond to enhance the festival experience for our audience by pinch hitting with a last-minute Q&A session where he shared wonderful insights into the making of the film.” Other Out Film CT Festival award winning films included “A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot” won Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature. “Sorority” won Audience Award for Best Short. “Rains Over Babel” won the Jury Award for Best Feature. “Heightened Scrutiny’ won the Jury Award for Best Documentary & “Stimulants & Empathogens” won the Jury Award for Best Short. Out Film CT’s mission is to entertain, educate & promote community by presenting outstanding LGBTQ cinema & other theatrical events throughout the year including their 9 day Film Festival. 
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Provincetown Tennessee Williams Event

The Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival is celebrating its 20th season September 25th to 29th in several town locations. The theme of this year's Festival is “Last Call” with live performances of plays by Williams that celebrate endings. After this season the mission of the festival will continue in new ways, championing Tennessee Williams in other forms in Provincetown & around the world. David Kaplan Festival Curator stated, “We've enjoyed our run: productions of over a hundred different plays by Williams from Adam & Eve on a Ferry (2008) to Will Mr. Merriwether Return from Memphis? (2018). From A to W, if not quite A to Z.” The 20th season will feature a fabulous new production of a classic play by Williams with a fresh take on a rarely produced late play by Williams & a new adaptation of a text by Williams as well as several short plays by Williams’ peer Samuel Beckett. A highlight of the twentieth season will be a production of Williams’ classic “Sweet Bird of Youth” in which the glamorous Alexandra DeLago proclaims “There’s no more valuable knowledge than knowing the right time to go.” This production will truly have a Ptown spin in director Mitchell Polonsky’s version of “Sweet Bird of Youth / A Nasty Melodrama.” I had the privilege to work with Mr. Williams back in the 1970’s. He was wearing his trademark seersucker blue & white suit topped off with a fabulous fedora hat a memory I’m fortunate to have etched in my mind forever. 2025 Festival Passes are now available with Carte Blanche Pass providing an all-access VIP experience or a Flex Pass affords a more flexible menu across the full range of shows. 
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DOJ Targeting Trans Youth Healthcare

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that it had sent more than 20 subpoenas to doctors & clinics performing gender-affirming care for minors as the current administration ramps up its attacks on this marginalized community. The subpoenas came despite every major American medical association supporting gender-affirming care for both adults & youth including the American Academy of Pediatrics. Bruce Parker, Chief Operating Officer of Rocky Mountain Equality stated, “This is yet another attempt to push a broad, dangerous ideology that criminalizes the existence of transgender people. These providers are not committing crimes, they are doing their jobs: providing healthcare. Instead of protecting vulnerable communities, the DOJ is using its power to target & intimidate doctors, dismantle trust in healthcare & put transgender youth at even greater risk. The federal government’s coordinated campaign of fear & misinformation is putting our communities at risk, leading to threats of violence & damaging the mental health of trans people & their families. Gender-affirming care is supported by every major medical association in the United States & is often the difference between hope & despair for young trans people. We stand in full solidarity with the doctors, nurses & clinics being targeted. We stand with the families fighting for their kids’ right to thrive & we stand with every young person who is scared about what this means for their future. The federal government cannot put themselves in the way of families making decisions for themselves about healthcare. Our federal leaders need to reject this politicization of healthcare & immediately halt any efforts to harass or punish those who provide or receive gender-affirming care.”
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Jewel Thais-Williams Passes (AUDIO)

Sad news to hear that Jewel Thais-Williams a woman whose courage & compassion changed the landscape of LGBTQ life in LA & beyond has died at 86. I met Jewel in 2017 with filmmaker C. Fitz when their documentary “Jewel's Catch One” was presented at the Boston LGBTQ Film Festival. The film tells the story of Jewel’s legendary “Jewel’s Catch One” nightclub often referred to as the Studio 54 of the West & one of the first Black discos in the country creating a safe space for our community to gather, be seen & thrive. In the late 1990’s Jewel continued to serve our community becoming an acupuncturist & herbalist & establishing Village Health Foundation in LA. In 2017 when I asked how she saw our LGBTQ community moving forward in the first Trump administration Jewel stated, “United & on all fronts I feel is the key to it as well as being supportive of other groups. I think that we saw during the Civil Rights Protests & Campaign embrace every aspect of the human conditions & so we had folks joining from various & slightly different groups to support that cause & I feel if we can get that kind of support around our LGBTQ issues & we’re finding hope with millennials. We see them protesting things like Black Lives Matter & they might be Asian, Indian & Caucasian, whatever, this is the kind of support we need to face anything that is happening politically to us now. We all have to join together every facet of our Americana especially those people that are being discriminated against & of course we’re one of the main ones of that. If we all come together there’s power in numbers.” LISTEN TO FULL INTERVIEW 
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San Francisco Mime Troupe New Musical

Celebrating 66 years the San Francisco Mime Troupe (SFMT) new show “Disruption A Musical Farce” runs now through August 3rd in the Bay Area for free & open to the public unless otherwise listed. When asked why call yourself a Mime Troupe if you talk & sing, SFMT stated, “We use the term “mime” in its classical & original definition, 'The exaggeration of daily life in story & song.' It is a form of popular theater that is as old as the marketplace itself. From the ancient Greek & Roman farces to the Renaissance commedia dell'Arte to modern Chinese Opera, using archetypes comically to illustrate people's issues is a time-honored worldwide tradition. Our broadly drawn characters are instantly recognizable allowing the audience to immediately engage in the action. Our work is political satire & anything but silent.” “Disruption A Musical Farce” features a four-person cast that includes veteran SF Mime Troupe collective members Michael Gene Sullivan (Hector Washington), Alicia M.P. Nelson (Zubari Macintosh) & features Lizzie Calogero Fawkes) & Jed Parsario (Augie Dimalanta). “Disruption” is about in a city where nothing is more important than “innovation” Augie – a son of immigrants whose life is all about helping his neighbors navigate an increasingly underfunded system. Meanwhile a tech genius is all about making a city attractive to the right kind of people. Who wouldn’t want that? Soon San Francisco will be a suburb of Silicon Valley & just in time for the president’s upcoming visit. But if the city is poised to be a calm, efficient paradise why is everything suddenly on fire. “Disruption A Musical Farce” was written by Michael Gene Sullivan & Marie Cartier, Music & Lyrics by Daniel Savio with Music Director Daniel Savio & directed by Michael Gene Sullivan. 
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Creative Coalition Releases NEA PSA

As Independence Weekend comes to a close The Creative Coalition has released a stirring new public service announcement starring Iain Armitage (“Young Sheldon”) & written by Emmy-nominated television visionary Bill Prady (“The Big Bang Theory”). The PSA is a timely & impassioned call to protect one of the pillars of American greatness, our nation’s commitment to the arts. Iain Armitage stated, “As someone who has grown up in the arts, I’ve seen how the NEA creates real opportunities in communities everywhere. The arts are the soul of our country. They connect us, inspire us & reflect who we are. Without them, America loses a vital part of itself.” Tim Daly, President of The Creative Coalition added, “At a time when division feels louder than unity, the arts bring us back to what connects us. The NEA empowers artists & communities to tell their stories — to reflect, to challenge, to heal. Supporting the arts is supporting democracy itself. It’s not just a cultural investment; it’s a patriotic act.” Robin Bronk, CEO of The Creative Coalition concluded, “The arts are not a luxury they are a lifeline to who we are as a people & as a nation. Through NEA support, we see communities thrive, cultures flourish & futures born. This PSA is a powerful reminder that federal funding for the arts isn’t about entertainment it’s about equity, opportunity & preserving the soul of America.” The PSA underscores that NEA funding isn’t just about creativity it’s also about economic strength, education & national pride. In towns big & small NEA grants plant the seeds that grow community theaters, festivals, galleries & arts education programs igniting local economies & enriching lives. WATCH   
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Global Filmmakers In Ptown (AUDIO)

This week I concluded our audio montage series with celebrities & filmmakers at the 27th Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF). First I talked with Christine Vachon whose production company Killer Films has produced many acclaimed independent films including Far from Heaven, Boys Don't Cry, Hedwig & the Angry Inch & Carol. She also produced the HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce. In 2023 Vachon received her first Academy Award nomination for Past Lives & recently produced Materialists starring Dakota Johnson. Christine serves on the PIFF’s Advisory Board. Next I talked to Sophie Hyde & Aud Mason Hyde about their film Jimpa starring Olivia Colman & John Lithgow that premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival & was directed by Sophie. The film is about Hannah (Olivia Colman) & her non-binary teenager Frances (Aud Mason Hyde) who visits her gay grandfather (John Lithgow) in Amsterdam. We talked about the film & LGBTQ political issues in Australia their native country. Then I talked with Michael Koehler who directed the documentary SPIRITUS: No Business like Dough Business which explores the history & culture of Spiritus Pizza in Provincetown, MA. This film is about the rich history of one of the oldest family-run businesses in Ptown highlighting the challenges faced by the business, the LGBTQ community & the AIDS crisis against the backdrop of the conservative Puritanical attitudes in the town during the 1970s & 1980s. I concluded our audio montage with Claire Titelman who’s working on developing her short Remember Me into a feature film. The autobiographic film is about after a series of personal setbacks 40-year-old Claire moves back home to care for her ailing father. Despite her challenging circumstances she musters the courage to re-enter the dating scene. LISTEN  
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US Senate Passes Medicaid Madness

Despite attempts by sane, compassionate Democratic Senators the GOP failed American citizens in the passage of H.R. 1 that will significantly cut Medicaid funding. If the House passes this bill knowing that Medicaid is the largest payer of mental health & substance use disorder services it will have irreversible repercussions for patients & their families. Dr. Theresa Miskimen, American Psychiatric Association President stated, “This is a huge blow for access to health care in America. In very real terms, this legislation will result in irreparable gaps in access to care for our country’s most vulnerable, many of whom have mental health & substance use disorders & they will suffer as a result.” Marketa M. Wills, M.D., M.B.A & APA CEO & Medical Director added, “The country is already facing a mental health & substance use disorder crisis. We cannot afford to have patients lose access to vital Medicaid services. We urge the House of Representatives to vote against this legislation. Despite this major setback, APA will continue to work for progress on behalf of psychiatrists & the patients they serve.” Sinead Murano-Kinney, Advocates for Trans Equality Health Policy Analyst concluded, "Make no mistake: this bill still contains many provisions that will endanger the health & well-being of millions of people across the country. For sure, the “defunding” of Planned Parenthood will jeopardize many trans people’s ability to access reproductive care, routine healthcare & transition-related healthcare. But we are relieved that a significant anti-trans provision was removed & we are grateful for all the members of our community who demanded that their representatives defend access to gender-affirming care.” We can make a difference this fight is by no means over.
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Stonewall Riots 56 Years Later (AUDIO)

As the 55th anniversary of the first Pride in 1970 ends this has been quite a different year for many pride events globally. Kicking off with World Pride celebrations in Washington DC to our Hungarian community massive display of solidarity despite threats made by their nation's homophobic president 2025 has been quite a year. Though according to Pew Research Center the majority of American adults (56%) favor legislation that protects our trans citizens from discrimination in jobs, housing & public spaces we’re dealing with an administration bent on discrimination. Robert Kesten Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library in Fort Lauderdale President & CEO stated, “The laws that have long criminalized gender nonconformity have been taken out of the mothballs with the intent to do harm to another generation of brave Americans seeking to be themselves. We are coming together as we did in the 60s. Although the threats against us are many, we too have a much bigger & more experienced community of people willing & ready to take on this fight. The only thing that is going to be erased at the end of this struggle is the hate & prejudices that divide us as Americans. The laws attacking human rights is nothing new, even as it remains disturbing. For people to reach their fullest potential, they must be who they are, unafraid to move forward with confidence. Stonewall will continue to use materials from our library & archives to advocate for those being unfairly challenged. We fully understand our role in this community.” In 2024 I talked to Kristen Lovell about the historic Stonewall Riots reenactment she participated in & her spin on our LGBTQ issues. LISTEN  
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Warhol Factory Revisited In New Play

The Other Side of Silence’s Doric Wilson Playwrights Project will present a special reading of Paul Iacono’s new play “HIGH PRIEST: Confessi...

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