Actors on deck for FutureStage

Education program bulks up

By GORDON COX

Merkerson

S. Epatha Merkerson, Liev Schreiber, John Lithgow and Vanessa Williams are among the thesps participating in Fidelity FutureStage, an education program offered by Fidelity Investments, Rialto producing org Viertel/Frankel/Baruch/Routh Group and education org Leap.

Initiative, now in its second year, pulls in Broadway talent to help teach a playwriting and production curriculum to more than 800 students from 10 underserved city schools. Also involved this year are thesps Charles S. Dutton, Megan Mullally, Chazz Palminteri and helmers Kathleen Marshall and Jerry Zaks, among others.