The 23Rd Annual Will-a-Thon
Conceived and Directed by Charles E. Gerber
“For Thy Sweet Love Rememb’red”
...A Matinee of Scenes, Sonnets, and Songs of Love, with excerpts from HAMLET, MACBETH, OTHELLO, TWELFTH NIGHT & LOVE'S LABOR'S LOST, Various SONNETS, and Songs from Sonnet 29, "When In Disgrace" , music by RAY LESLEE, "Sigh No More" from MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, "Honor, Riches, Marriage- Blessing" from THE TEMPEST", those last two with music by, C.E.GERBER.
THE WORKSHOP THEATER in association with THE SOCIETY OF ETHICAL CULTURE Presents THE 23RD ANNUAL WILL-A-THON a two day fesitval celebrating the 462nd birthday of William Shakespeare — Conceived and Directed by CHARLES E. GERBER
THE SOCIETY OF ETHICAL CULTURE
2 W. 64TH ST., 4TH FLOOR — Ceremonial Hall
Sunday April 19, 2026 — 1:30pm
Featuring:
ZOE ANASTASSIOU* as First Witch, Maria & Ensemble
ARTHUR AULISI* as Duke of Venice, Malvolio & Ensemble
ETHAN CADOFF* as Iago & Ensemble
TOM LUKE DiCOSTANZO as Chorus( Henry V),Messenger, Captain & Ensemble
CHARLES E. GERBER as M.C., Ross, Brabantio, Feste & Ensemble, Composer
CHARLES KENNEDY as Hamlet, Angus, Cassio, Berowne & Ensemble
MARY LAUREN* as 2nd Witch, Lady Macbeth, Olivia, Emilia & Ensemble
ALLISON LINKER* as 3rd Witch, Desdemona, Viola & Ensemble
JASON NADAL as Banquo, Othello, Sir Toby Belch & Ensemble
JONNY WEBER* as Rosencrantz, Macbeth, Orsino & Ensemble
THOMAS J. DONOHOE ( PSM)*
*Equity Member appearing with permission of Actors’ Equity Association without benefit of an Equity contract in this Off-Off Broadway production.
See also Part I - “WILL’S WAY” 4/17/26 @ 7:00pm
Some of the critical praise the festival has received over the two decades of its history:
"Lovers of Shakespeare will find moments to savor at The WILL-A-THON"!
—Martin Denton, NYTheatre.com"WILL'S PLAYSHOP players provide the best spoken Shakespeare in New York City"
—the late, Joe Franklin, Bloomberg Radio"Gerber creates a delicious smorgasboard of Shakespeare's works. I wondered how this could be done. Now I can marvel at the achievement."
—Rachel Levine, Splash Magazine Worldwide"The great quality of Shakespeare's work is that it was always meant to be HEARD, not read- and by different voices.
Nothing realizes his genius better than hearing different voices reading the text in different rhythms and different tones.
And THAT, of course is the joy of WILL'S PLAYSHOP!"
—Richard Easton(1933-2019), Tony Award Winner(2001), Theater Hall Of fame Honoree(2008), and Guest Artist in successive WILL-A-THONS :2013, 2014, and 2015
See Part 1 -Will’s Way for artist photos and bios.