Award-Winning Actress Coming to Essex County

Actress, singer and activist Suzzanne Douglas and Nehassaiu deGannes star in a benefit reading of Stay With Me by Belgian playwright Olivier Coyette at Luna Stage on Sunday, March 16 at 7 p.m.

Stay With Me, the moving story of a mother and daughter and their journey throughout the years has been translated by Awoye Timpo. 

Timpo, fresh off of working as an Associate Artist on the August Wilson American Century Cycle Celebration on WNYC/The Greene Space, also directs the reading.

All benefit reading tickets cost $25 and can be purchased at lunastage.org or by calling 973-395-5551.

Douglas, of Maplewood, is widely known for her starring roles in the TV show The Parent'Hood, the film How Stella Got her Groove Back, and the Broadway show The Tap Dance Kid. 

Douglas is a patron of the arts and an advocate for teaching artistic expression in the educational system. As an artist/activist, her body of work displays her commitment to roles that fuse social action with art by challenging societal norms and heightening the audience's consciousness about community and world issues.

Nehassaiu deGannes returns to Luna Stage after performing in the company's 2011 world premiere of The Tallest Building In The World and Luna's 2012 Benefit Reading of King Lear. Most recently deGannes debuted the role of Diana Sands opposite Broadway veteran, Hope Clarke, in a workshop production of Diana Sands: A Certain Toughness of Spirit, directed by Sue Lawless. Other highlights include: "Carmen" opposite Amy Irving in The Balcony at Red Bull Theatre, translated by Jean-Claude Van Italie, directed by David Herskovits.

Director/translator Timpo has directed at La MaMa, Juilliard, Columbia University and NYU. She was worked as Assistant Director at the Public Theater, Signature Theater, Two River Theater and the Royal Shakespeare Company and has translated The Bald Soprano and Rhinoceros by Ionesco as well as The Vanished and A Crying Friend by Olivier Coyette.

All proceeds to benefit Luna Stage in support of its mission to produce thought-provoking theatre that gives voice to emerging American playwrights and re-examines contemporary and classic plays that speak to our times. As producer, educator and innovator, Luna Stage is committed to collaborating with artists of multiple disciplines and community partners to illuminate the diverse perspectives of society.

Luna Stage is located at 555 Valley Rd. in West Orange. The theatre is handicapped accessible and offers assistive listening devices.