Mario Cantone, Samuel L. Jackson, James McCaffrey, Jeremy Piven, Annabella Sciorra, Tony Shalhoub, Tamara Tunie and Kathleen Turner Join Billy Crudup, Melissa Leo, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Ben Vereen and Other Stars of Sarah Tuft's 110 Stories, a Play Based on First-Person Accounts of 9/11 and its Immediate Aftermath

NEW YORK, Aug. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sarah Tuft's 110 Stories shines a light into the human spirit - revealing hope, humor and compassion in the midst of the tragedy of 9/11.  The production has welcomed Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Piven, Annabella Sciorra, and Kathleen Turner, among others, to join its illustrious cast and will premiere on September 8, 2011 at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at New York University in Manhattan.

In the days and weeks after 9/11, playwright Sarah Tuft, turned to theater to preserve what she witnessed as a volunteer in the aftermath of September 11. By gathering stories of those who experienced the tragedy directly and weaving them into a play, Tuft aimed to reveal the truth of ground zero. What resulted is 110 Stories, which will be performed by a highly distinguished cast of film, television and stage actors to commemorate the tenth anniversary of 9/11.

The two-night performance of 110 Stories is scheduled to run from September 8 to 9, with curtain call at 8:00 p.m., at the NYU Skirball Center. The net proceeds from the production will benefit the New York Says Thank You Foundation, an organization that works to transform the annual 9/11 anniversary into a positive, hands-on platform for national volunteer service.  

110 Stories also supports Action America: a not-for-profit, open-source brand designed to unite and activate Americans everywhere to turn the events of 9/11 into positive action.

"I wrote 110 Stories to preserve, not just history, but also a window into who we really are as revealed by our behavior under extreme circumstances.  I am thrilled at the overwhelming support from the acting community to participate in this production," said Sarah Tuft, the playwright of 110 Stories.

The high-profile cast includes F. Murray Abraham, Lauren Ambrose, Mario Cantone, Billy Crudup, Samuel L. Jackson, Melissa Leo, Aasif Mandvi, James McCaffrey, Vincent Piazza, Jeremy Piven, Andre Royo, Stelio Savante, Pablo Schreiber, Tony Shalhoub, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tamara Tunie, Kathleen Turner, Ben Vereen and Merritt Wever.  

110 Stories is supported by executive producer Ryan Heil of LIVEstyle Entertainment, director Gregory Mosher, casting director Judy Henderson and producers Jennifer Maloney of Awaken Entertainment, Samira Qureshi, Stelio Savante, Cori Silberman and Sarah Tuft.

Tickets are currently available through the NYU Skirball Center box office at (212) 352-3101 or http://skirballcenter.nyu.edu/page/tickets. For more information visit www.110storiesplay.com or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/110storiesplay.

ABOUT THE NEW YORK SAYS THANK YOU FOUNDATION
Started in 2003 at the suggestion of a 5-year-old boy, The New York Says Thank You Foundation has grown into one of the Nation's leading organizations to transform the 9/11 Anniversary into a positive, hands-on platform for national volunteer service. Each year on the 9/11 Anniversary, The New York Says Thank You Foundation sends hundreds of volunteers from New York along with disaster survivors from around the country to help rebuild communities around the United States recovering from disaster. It's the group's way of saying "Thank You" for all the love and support Americans from across the country extended to New Yorkers in the days, weeks, and months following September 11. For more information, please visit www.NewYorkSaysThankYou.org

ABOUT LIVEstyle ENTERTAINMENT

Founded in 2002, LIVEstyle Entertainment is a leader in innovative live entertainment marketing, programming and production.  Having built and executed successful events and properties throughout the film, fashion, music, art and sports industries, LIVEstyle has proven its ability to deliver high-impact brand programs on an annual basis for clients and consumers alike.  In addition to being the most prolific film festival event producer in the world, LIVEstyle Entertainment creates tailor-made event programs for corporate and entertainment industry clients alike.  For more information, please visit www.livestylent.com.

NYU SKIRBALL CENTER

The Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts is the premier venue for the presentation of cultural and performing arts events for New York University and lower Manhattan. Led by executive producer Jay Oliva (President Emeritus, NYU) and senior director Michael Harrington, the programs of the Skirball Center reflect NYU's mission as an international center of scholarship, defined by excellence and innovation and shaped by an intellectually rich and diverse environment. A vital aspect of the Center's mission is to build young adult audiences for the future of live performance. www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu

SOURCE LIVEstyle Entertainment