Dustin Lance Black
The American Foundation for Equal Rights & Broadway Impact have added actors to the lineup of Dustin Lance Black’s world premiere play 8. Bob Balaban, Larry Kramer, John Lithgow and Bradley Whitford are among the celebrities joining the staged reading, which takes place at a one-night-only event on Sept. 19. They join the previously announced cast that includes Anthony Edwards, Morgan Freeman, Cheyenne Jackson, Christine Lahti, Rob Reiner, Yeardley Smith and Marisa Tomei. They will play historical figures, including Judge Vaughn Walker, attorneys David Boies and Theodore Olson, and Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry.
The play chronicles the historic trial in the federal legal challenge to Prop 8, California’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. It is based on the actual transcripts of the lawsuit. Black, who won an Oscar for his screenplay for Milk, has been widely active in gay rights causes.
As someone who livesd in the UK, I had always thought that California was a bastion of liberal values. How disappointing it was, therefore, to hear about Prop 8. I would love to be able to attend this reading, which not only shows how iniquitous Prop 8 was, but also features many of my favourite actors.