Eric Mulholland and Andrew Grenier will do a staged reading of the acclaimed “Tuesdays with Morrie” in Langley this weekend.
The event is 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17 at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) main stage. All proceeds will go to the Charlie Murphy Healing Fund to help him in his battle against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS and Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“Tuesdays with Morrie,” penned by Mitch Albom, was on The New York Times Non-Fiction Best Sellers list for four years, and is one of the best-selling memoirs of all time. The book chronicles Albom’s rekindled friendship with Morrie Schwartz, a Brandeis University sociology professor from whom Albom took classes in the late 1970s. Albom was moved to seek out his former teacher 16 years after receiving his diploma when he learned Schwartz had been diagnosed with ALS. Albom’s book inspired a 1999 TV movie starring Jack Lemmon and Hank Azaria and a 2002 stage adaptation, coauthored by Albom and Jeffrey Hatcher.
“Tuesdays with Morrie” is a recounting of the time Albom spent with Schwartz, and it provides a lasting gift of the ideas and visions of Schwartz. More than 15 million copies of the book have been sold in more than 50 editions around the world.
Charlie Murphy, a long-time resident of Whidbey Island, is a creative force around the globe. He co-founded with Peggy Taylor ‘Power of Hope: Youth Empowerment through the Arts.” Its regional camps and workshops have spurred youth development in the U.S. and Canada for the past 20 years. He and Taylor also co-founded Partners for Youth Empowerment, or PYE Global, providing programs that teach people to work with youths in more creative ways.
He is also an accomplished singer/songwriter, facilitator and someone with a deep passion for life.
The staged reading with Eric Mulholland and Grenier is directed by Deana Duncan. Tickets cost $25. A special pre-show for $100 includes a glass of wine and a chance to mingle.
To purchase tickets, go to WICAonline.org or call the box office at 360-221-8268. Visit youcar
ing.com or www.youcaring.com/charlie-murphy-361893/donate#wp to contribute to the Charlie Murphy Healing Fund.
