Alec Baldwin returned to the place where it all began — The Lee Strasberg Creative Center — for a one-night-only benefit that debuted Outcasts, five new one-act plays written by Pulitzer-, Tony-, and Academy Award–winning playwright John Patrick Shanley. The event, held on November 18, brought together an all-star cast of actors, several of whom are alumni of The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, for an intimate evening celebrating craft, community, and the artistic lineage of Method acting.
For Baldwin, the evening was deeply personal. “My acting career literally began at the Strasberg Institute on 15th Street with Geoffrey Horne and Marcia Haufrecht,” he shared. “I will always be grateful that I began my career here. Strasberg gave me a technique built upon a foundation of truth. Among the great playwrights working today, John Patrick Shanley’s writing, with both the humor and the drama marbled together, demands a focus and agility that I acquired largely through Strasberg.”
Victoria Krane, president of The Lee Strasberg Creative Center, echoed the sentiment: “This is inspired theater. Yesterday we celebrated Lee Strasberg’s 124th birthday. I want to thank everyone involved, and that unsolicited phone call from Alec Baldwin who offered to do this fundraiser with John Patrick Shanley and all these amazing actors.”
Four of the evening’s performers — Alec Baldwin, Rebecca De Mornay, Jamie Hector, and Alessandra Mesa — are Strasberg alumni, bringing the night full circle as they stepped into Shanley’s new, character-driven works.
The program featured five brand-new one-acts, each capturing Shanley’s signature blend of grit, humor, and emotional excavation:
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“The Upside Down Man” – Alec Baldwin and Alessandra Mesa
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“The Bonnet” – Jeff Garlin and Susie Essman, the beloved Curb Your Enthusiasm duo
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“The Estimate” – Debra Messing and Ivette Dumeng (also co-director, alongside Lori Kee)
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“Heartbreak” – Sidney Williams, Jamie Hector, and Erick Betancourt
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“Last Night in the Garden I Saw You” – Alec Baldwin and Rebecca De Mornay
“Each of these new pieces gives voice to the overlooked, the unheard, the exiled among us — the true outcasts,” Shanley said. “It’s a challenging and exciting evening featuring actors who are fearless in their work.”
Actor Ivan Hernandez (Company, Chicago Med) opened the evening accompanied by a three-piece jazz band, teasing the audience: “Some of them are challenging. Some of them are a lark. I’ll leave it up to you to decide which is which.”
Guests included Meg Ryan, Lee Fryd, Sharon King Hoge, LaVon Kellner, Eleanora Kennedy, Ellie Manko, Gillian McCain, Katharine McEwan, Kathy Roeder, David Strasberg, Lindsey Strasberg, Scarlett Strasberg, Sari Tracht, Desiree Von la Valette, and Roberta Wallach — a cross-section of filmmakers, writers, cultural patrons, and members of the Strasberg family.
Founded in 1977 by Anna Strasberg, The Lee Strasberg Creative Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving and advancing the legacy of the “Father of Method Acting.” The organization supports young performers through scholarships at The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, commissions for early-career playwrights, directing fellowships, community programs, cultural collaborations, and the stewardship of Lee Strasberg’s teaching archive.
