Theatre piece to raise funds for Ukrainian Refugee Relief
As the horrific war on the citizens of Ukraine continues to rage, the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion is almost upon us.
While many of us have contributed to the efforts to support the innocent, playwright Gary Hoffman has written an historical drama, tracing the war through the two principle individuals involved, Putin and Zelensky.
Using a couple of their actual short speeches as a base for his satirical piece, the play titled The Two Swans:Vladimir/Volodymyr, does a deep dive into the background of this tragic war.
Written during a stay in Kyiv, the play reveals previously little-known facts and humor is employed judiciously to lighten the subject matter.
Presented as a staged reading in two acts, 16 scenes, with 12 roles, The Two Swans: Vladimir/Volodymyr can be seen at the Triad Theatre, Feb. 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
Offered on and about Valentine’s Day, Hoffman stated that his is not a play about war, “it’s a play about the love of a people for their country… a valentine to Zelensky and the Ukrainians.”
Hoffman’s hope is to produce a world premiere of his play in Kyiv, Ukraine, once the war there ceases.
All proceeds from the play and donations collected will go to Ukrainian Refugee Relief. For information and tickets: Triad Theatre
Valerie Smaldone is a 5-time Billboard Magazine Award winner and is well known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 on-air position in the New York radio market on 106.7 Life-FM, an iHeart station. She has hosted, produced, and created several award-winning nationally syndicated programs featuring in-depth interviews with stars like Paul McCartney, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Elton John and Mariah Carey among others. Her radio talk show "Bagels and Broadway" highlighted theatre and food personalities. She is an accomplished interviewer and voice artist heard on commercials, narrations, promos and audiobooks, as well as a sought after live announcer.
Most recently, Valerie produced and directed a film, The Thursday Night Club, featuring pop diva Gloria Gaynor in her movie acting debut. She is one of the creators and producers of a docu-series, Divine Renovation, starring Erik Estrada, on streaming networks soon.
