‘Parks and Recreation’ Cast to Reunite For Special Coronavirus Relief Show

Leslie Knope and her Pawnee crew are back! The cast of Parks and Recreation is returning to NBC for one night only to help out during the coronavirus crisis, TV Line reports. After five years without the show, the full cast of the  comedy will participate in A Parks and Recreation Special, a half-hour scripted show to help raise money for food banks during the coronavirus pandemic.

All of your favorites — plus some special guest stars — will be featured: Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Retta and Jim O’Heir are all confirmed to play their old characters for the special.  As for the plot? “Pawnee’s most dedicated civil servant, Leslie Knope, is determined to stay connected to her friends in a time of social distancing,” NBC’s promo teases. Sounds pretty relevant to our current times.

“We were looking for ways to help and felt that bringing these characters back for a night could raise some money,” executive producer Michael Schur said in a statement. “I sent a hopeful email to the cast, and they all got back to me within 45 minutes. Our old Parks and Rec team has put together one more 30-minute slice of (quarantined) Pawnee life, and we hope everyone enjoys it. And donates!”

The proceeds from the Parks and Recreation Special will go toward Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund. NBCUniversal, the cast of Parks and Recreation and the special’s sponsors (State Farm and Subaru of America) will match donations from the special up to $500,000.

Parks and Recreation ended in 2015 after seven seasons on NBC. Since then, co-stars Poehler and Offerman have starred in their own series, Making It on NBC, but the Parks and Recreation Special will mark the first full cast reunion since the series’ end.

A Parks and Recreation Special will air April 30 at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.

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