Road Less Traveled Productions’ Emanuel Fried New Play Workshop will host a special benefit reading of Eurydice, a contemporary take on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice by acclaimed playwright Sarah Ruhl (In The Next Room, or The Vibrator Play).

The event will be held at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18 at the Road Less Traveled Theater (639 Main St., Buffalo) .The reading will benefit the new play workshop, an integral component of RLTP’s mission to develop and produce plays by Western New York writers. RLTP will also produce Ruhl’s Clean House in spring 2013.

Photo from Flickr / celynek.

In Eurydice, Ruhl reimagines a classic masculine legend through the eyes of its heroine. Tragically dying on her wedding day, the youthful Eurydice is swept away to the underworld and is reunited with her father. Eurydice must attempt to remember her beloved fiance, Orpheus, and guide him to her rescue.

Cassie Gorniewicz plays the title character and will be joined by by Jacob Albarella as Orpheus and David Lundy as Eurydice’s adoring father.

David Oliver, acclaimed for his portrayal of Satan in RLTP’s 2011 production of The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot, revisits the underworld in his role as Hades, who Ruhl describes as “...a nasty yet interesting man.”

Rounding out the cast will be Bonnie Jean Taylor, Carlton Franklin, and Rebecca Ward. Victoria Perez, who will star in RLTP’s production of Clean House, directs this special event.

RLTP Literary Director Jon Elston praised Eurydice as “Sarah Ruhl’s finest work to date… which is a major compliment for the author of such modern gems as In The Next Room and Melancholy Play. It’s magical, bittersweet, irreverent, bizarre, funny, soaringly romantic, and heartbreakingly profound, and a real treat for any lover of theater, or really any lover, period.”

Tickets for the performance are $10 and proceeds help to underwrite the new play workshop program and scholarships.

“On average, 10 local writers participate in the NPW each season,” said Elston, adding that each participant receives a staged reading of his or her play, and staged readings are open to the public and free of charge. A schedule or NPW readings is available on RLTP’s website.

“RLTP intends to keep the New Play Workshop program affordable for writers and to maintain a quality output of staged readings available to the public free-of-charge,” Elston explained. “A ticket to Eurydice not only nets you the enjoyment of attending a terrific reading of an incredible play, it also helps support Western New York’s growing community of playwrights!”

To guarantee seating, tickets can be reserved at least 24 hours in advance by calling the Box Office line at (716) 629-3069.