RECAP: "As You Wish": Reel Friends' Live Charity Reading of "The Princess Bride"

"Inconceivable!"

A live table read of William Goldman's The Princess Bride hosted by Reel Friends (Photo by Mikey Smith)

There’s no better cure for the February blues than a storybook adventure. On Sunday, Reel Friends hosted their first live table read event, reenacting William Goldman’s beloved script, The Princess Bride. Housed in the historic Avon Theatre, it was a night full of fairytales, swordfights, and of course, twoo wuv.

The cast, listed below, was an all-star showcase of Atlanta talent. Fifteen of the city’s best and brightest performers helped bring this script to life, putting their own spins on these beloved characters:

Westley – Austin Freeman (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Superman, Loki, Dopesick)

Princess Buttercup – Zamani Wilder (Bottoms, Uglies, You’re Cordially Invited)

Inigo Montoya – Jenna Kanell (Terrifier, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, WandaVision)

Prince Humperdinck – Jeffrey Pierce (The Last of Us, Castle Rock, Bosch, Call of Duty)

Count Rugen – Jonathon Pawlowski (Chad Powers, Adult Swim Yule Log, St. André Golf)

Vizzini – Baron Vaughn (Grace and Frankie, Mystery Science Theatre 3000, Black Dynamite)

Fezzik – Kevin Daniels (Will Trent, Frasier, Modern Family, Atypical)

Valerie/The Mother – Annie Jacob (He's All That)

Miracle Max – Aaron Chewning (St. André Golf)

Ancient Booer/Assistant Brute/The Queen – Samantha Ireland (RWBY, Twisters, Found)

Impressive Clergyman/The King – Neal Reddy (Queer Eye, The Righteous Gemstones)

The Grandson – Josh Elliot (Actor)

Yellen/The Albino – Aaron G. Hale (The Bradshaw Bunch, Reggie & Rainbow)

The Grandfather – Brent Michal (Withdrawal)

Scene Description – Wesley Tunison (Vinyl, Hold Fast, Good Luck)

The wonderful cast of Reel Friends' table read of The Princess Bride (Photo by Mikey Smith)

It’s difficult to live up to the original cast, but these actors produced a stellar version of the classic story. The ragtag crew charmed audiences with their performances and effortlessly captured Goldman’s balance of the humorous (Josh Elliot and Brent Michal’s grandson/grandfather dynamic had me in stitches) and the heartfelt (Zamani Wilder and Austin Freeman were oh-so-sweet as Buttercup and Westley). From Baron Vaughn’s top-tier recitation of Vizzini’s “Battle of the Wits” monologue to Aaron Chewning and Annie Jacob’s banter as Miracle Max and Valerie, the casting was bafflingly spot-on—Jeffrey Pierce even wore a shiny crown for his portrayal of Prince Humperdinck. While I’m rarely in favor of remakes, I must admit I’m totally here for Kevin Daniels playing Fezzik onscreen—he’s got comedic timing that would make André the Giant proud. To top it all off, Reel Friends’ own Christian Chambers performed tracks from the score in various scenes, adding an extra dose of cinematic wonder.

Austin Freeman and Zamani Wilder reading for Westley and Princess Buttercup (Photo by Mikey Smith)

It’s impossible to recap every single magic moment of the table read—everyone was just so good—but it’s important to note that the audience was just as wonderful as the actors. The room was actively engaged, clapping and cheering during their favorite scenes. Every time Jenna Kanell delivered an iconic Inigo Montoya line, the crowd went absolutely wild. The packed house was a beautiful testament to The Princess Bride’s dedicated fanbase and the script’s long-lasting legacy in pop culture.

Jenna Kanell reading for Inigo Montoya at the Avon Theatre (Photo by Mikey Smith)

In addition to the scrappy swashbucklers saving the day in the script, Reel Friends used the event to draw attention to some real-life heroes making a difference in Atlanta and beyond. The table read was held in partnership with Backstreet Rising and Food4Life, along with the Human Rights Campaign and the Georgia Harm Reduction Coalition. A portion of proceeds from each ticket went to support the latter two organizations.

(Left) Bentley Hudgins, Georgia State Director of the Human Rights Campaign with (right) Reel Friends founder Rocco Shapiro (Photo by Mikey Smith)

Bentley Hudgins, Georgia State Director of the Human Rights Campaign, shared some background on the group at the start of the event. The Human Rights Campaign is the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization and has been making waves for over 40 years. Their partnership with Reel Friends was a lovely tribute to The Princess Bride’s director, the late Rob Reiner, and his wife, Michele. The Reiners were extremely active in their communities and worked with the Human Rights Campaign for many years, making its presence at this event “serendipitous,” in host Rocco Shapiro’s words. “Rob [Reiner] was one of our biggest supporters, and he spent so much of his time being an honorary gay and helping us out” Hudgins chuckled. “He gave so much of his talent, his time, and his investment, and we’re forever grateful.”

Fans of the original film attending the live table read at the Avon Theatre (Photo by Mikey Smith)

The table read was a wonderful fusion of film and community, offering attendees a chance to partake in local art and support changemakers in their own neighborhoods. “I know if you look out in the world, it seems pretty bleak,” Hudgins said, “but what I find really inspiring are moments like this when we're surrounded by a community who cares about each other.”

For more on the Human Rights Campaign, click here.

Article by Olivia Smith. Photos by Mikey Smith. Please credit @mts2.photo or @art.seen.atl if reposting on social media.