By Kenneth Jones
13 Sep 2004

Red Bull Theater kicks off its 2004-2005 season Sept. 13 with a benefit reading of Fortinbras, Lee Blessing's sequel to Hamlet, featuring Paul Rudd in the title role.

The one-night Fortinbras reading is part of Red Bull's Revelation Readings series, which continues to Oct. 18. The series explores "contemporary language plays as well as neglected Jacobean works."

Jesse Berger is Red Bull's artistic director. The company staged a full production of Shakespeare's Pericles in 2003.

Fortinbras gets the curtain line at the end of Hamlet, when he arrives with his army in Denmark and finds the royal family dead in the palace.

"Written after the first Gulf War, this uproarious look at what happens after Hamlet is a timely satire on power, politics, and war," according to Red Bull. Blessing is the author of A Walk in the Woods, Eleemosynary, Thief River and more.

In addition to Rudd (TV's "Friends," Off-Broadway's The Shape of Things, Broadway's The Last Night of Ballyhoo), the cast also includes Dallas Roberts (Nocturne, Burn This) and Daniel Breaker (Pericles, Fabulation).

The Revelation Readings series is presented at The Culture Project at 45 Bleecker Street. All readings are free, except the Fortinbras benefit. For those tickets, call (212) 352-3101.

A reception and silent auction will begin at 6 PM. Admission to this special benefit is $55.

For tickets to all other readings, write Revelations@redbulltheatercom or call (212) 414-5168. For more information, visit www.redbulltheater.com.