Odds & Ends: Neil Patrick Harris, Mary Louise Parker & Billy Porter to Lead Laramie Project Benefit & More

Here's a quick roundup of stories you may have missed today.

Neil Patrick Harris, Mary Louise Parker & Billy Porter to Lead Laramie Project Benefit
A trio of Tony-winning stars have signed on for a benefit reading of The Laramie Project in memory of the life of Matthew Shepard. Neil Patrick Harris, Mary Louise Parker and Billy Porter will appear in the reading set for September 24 at 7:00pm at the Gerald Lynch Theater at John Jay College. The benefit for Tectonic Theater Project—the creators of The Laramie Project—will also star original Laramie Project cast members Stephen Belber, Amanda Gronich, Mercedes Herrero, Andy Paris, Greg Pierotti, Barbara Pitts McAdams and Kelli Simpkins. Tectonic Theater Project founder and original Laramie Project director Moisés Kaufman will helm the evening.

Nyle DiMarco to Co-Host Talkbacks with Cast of Children of a Lesser God
Co-producer Nyle DiMarco is set to moderate a pair of post-performance talkbacks with the cast of the new Broadway revival of Mark Medoff's iconic play Children of a Lesser God. DiMarco will be joined by NPR host Celeste Headlee for the chats scheduled for the matinee and evening performances on May 16. As previously announced, Children of a Lesser God, starring Joshua Jackson and 2018 Tony nominee Lauren Ridloff, will play its final performance at Studio 54 on May 27.

Mike Birbiglia's The New One to Debut at Two River Theater in Advance of Off-Broadway Run
The New One, the highly anticipated new off-Broadway solo show by Mike Birbiglia, has announced a pre-New York run at Red Bank, Jersey's Two River Theater. Performed by Birbiglia and directed by Seth Barrish, The New One will play Two River for an engagement from July 18-22 after which it will appear in a previously announced off-Broadway run from July 26 through August 25 at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Birbiglia's past theatrical works include Thank God for Jokes, the Lucille Lortel Award-winning My Girlfriend's Boyfriend and his solo theater debut, Sleepwalk with Me, which was adapted into a bestselling book and award-winning feature film.