The Del Shores Foundation is presenting a FREE, one-night-only, live-streamed benefit reading of the original SORDID LIVES play by Del Shores on Sunday, May 31, 2020, at 5pm Pacific/7pm Central. Emerson Collins and Del Shores will be hosting and producing the event. The reading will star cast from the original 1996 play, the cult-hit 2000 film, LOGO’s 2008 “Sordid Lives: The Series” and the 2017 marriage equality-themed film sequel “A Very Sordid Wedding.” The free live stream reading and accompanying auction of memorabilia is a benefit fundraiser for twenty-three live theatre companies who are associated partners of the Del Shores Foundation and support its mission to find and facilitate the development of new southern queer artistic voices. All of the artists are donating their time and 100% of proceeds will go to the theatre companies. Donations to the benefit can be made at www.delshoresfoundation.org.
SORDID LIVES is a black comedy about white trash as a gay actor struggles to come out to his eccentric, dysfunctional Texas family. When the family matriarch trips over the two wooden legs of her lover in a seedy motel room, her funeral brings three generations of the family back together in a story about learning to love the family you have as they are, not as you wish them to be.
According to a statement from the Foundation on its website, "Several weeks ago, Del had a conversation with the artistic director of one of the foundation's theatre partners. They explained that the challenges of the pandemic have put their company's viability in jeopardy. Since Del started his career in, and always returns to, the theatre, he was inspired to figure out a way to use our skills to do something to help theatre companies and also provide entertainement. This livestream benefit reading was the result of that. All of the stars we asked from across the Sordid franchise said an immediate yes!"
The reading cast will feature (in alphabetical order): NEWELL ALEXANDER (“August: Osage County”), ROSEMARY ALEXANDER (“Sordid Lives”), BONNIE BEDELIA (“Designated Survivor,” “Parenthood,”), BEAU BRIDGES (“Homeland,” “Messiah”), EMERSON COLLINS (“RENT” on FOX, “The People’s Couch”), DALE DICKEY (“Unbelievable”, “Claws”), DAVID COWGILL (“Sordid Lives: The Series”), BETH GRANT (“Dollface,” “The Mindy Project”), DEBBY HOLIDAY (“Blues For Willadean”), LESLIE JORDAN (“Will & Grace,” “The Cool Kids”), CAROLINE RHEA (“Sydney To The Max,” “Sabrina, The Teenage Witch”), DEL SHORES (“Six Characters In Search Of A Play”) and ANN WALKER (“Sordid Lives.”)
There will also be live stream appearances by other celebrities from the franchise including CARSON KRESSLEY (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”), GEORGETTE JONES (“Sordid Lives: The Series), ALEC MAPA (“Ugly Betty,” “Doom Patrol”), ALEKS PAUNOVIC (“Van Helsing,” “War for the Planet of the Apes”), DAVID STEEN (“Django Unchained”), a performance by Tony winner LEVI KREIS (“Million Dollar Quartet”) and a special message from OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN.
This fundraiser / reading of SORDID LIVES will live stream Sunday, May 31 at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern. The reading is free and reminders can be set for the livestream on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2Lu9VMz. Facebook: Will be available seven days before the live stream.
For more information, to make donations and auction items, please visit www.delshoresfoundation.org
SORDID LIVES FILM trailer:
SORDID LIVES: THE SERIES trailer:
A VERY SORDID WEDDING trailer: