EVERSCAPE, PART OF THE 2015 NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL FRINGE FESTIVAL
RECEIVES “BEST OF FEST” EXTENSION IN NEW YORK.
CULTURE NEWS strongly recommends this first-class play EVERSCAPE!
It's a MUST SEE! The fantastic and creative director ASHLEY GUNSTEENS leads a wonderful cast in this unique play.
The Celebration of Whimsy Theater, in association with Ashley Gunsteens and Jordi Coats, has announced an extended run of EVERSCAPE – Allan Maule’s new action-packed dramedy about addiction to the world of online gaming – as part of “Best of the Fringe Festival”, with three final performances, October 1, 2, 8 at the Celebration of Whimsy Theater a.k.a. The C.O.W. (21 Clinton Street) in Manhattan. EverScape is an Equity Approved Showcase.
EVERSCAPE follows four New Yorkers who clock out of
mind-numbing day jobs each day and get online to play their favorite fantasy video game. But when EverScape Inc. offers them the chance to play their way to jobs as game developers, the lines between reality and the virtual world start to blur. What’s more real: the game, or their lives? Epic fight scenes ensue, love blossoms among strangers, avatars start to influence day-to-day behavior, and winning quickly becomes the only solution.
During its world-premiere in August’s 19th Annual New York International Fringe Festival, EVERSCAPE was selected to perform as part of FringeNYC’s opening press conference, and was featured by Theater In The Now, Backstage.com, New York Theater Now, Theater Is Easy, Indie Gamer Magazine, and the Independent Weekly, as well as being listed as #2 on Playbill’s What Not to Miss at Fringe: Five of the Festival's Hottest Shows!
Directed by Ashley Gunsteens (WHAT EVERY GIRL SHOULD KNOW, FringeNYC 2013 “Best Ensemble”), the EVERSCAPE cast features: Phil Gillen* (last seen Off Broadway in A HAPPY END, and as “Wilbur” in the National Tour of CHARLOTTE’S WEB), Michael Rehse, Ivy Croteau, Tim Heller, Meg Mark, Sean Dube, Ariel Cruz and Jacob Williams.
The movement team for EVERSCAPE consists of co-choreographers Adam Davidson and Julia Adle, fight director Michael Hagins (THE CALL OF THE SIREN, FringeNYC 2014), and dance/fight captain Dakota Mackey-McGee.
Playwright Allan Maule is an award-winning North Carolina-based playwright and screenwriter with more than ten years of writing experience for the stage and digital media. Favorite productions of his plays include MADE WHOLE (Burning Coal Theatre), IMPERFECT STRANGERS (Marsh Woodwinds), and FRAMING THE SHOT (Wordshed Productions). Allan also worked as a video game writer and voice director on the MMORPG “Fallen Earth” and the Serious Game “Uptick”, as well as interactive demos for the game company Icarus Studios. Allan is a graduate of Duke University and holds a master's in performance studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
*These Actors are appearing courtesy of the Actors Equity Association
Director Ashley Gunsteens is a freelance Brooklyn-based director with a penchant for movement and ensemble-based work. Favorite projects include ROMANTIC FOOLS by Rich Orloff (AlphaNYC), WHAT EVERY GIRL SHOULD KNOW by Monica Byrne ("Best Ensemble" FringeNYC 2013), VOLLEYGIRLS THE MUSICAL ("Best of Fest" NYMF 2013), JULIUS CAESAR and HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE (Lab! Theatre). Ashley is the co-creator & co-producer of Salon Bklyn, a series of visual and performance art events in Park Slope, Brooklyn. She directed the NY reading and choreography workshops of EVERSCAPE earlier this year.
Producer Jordi Coats has worked with Binder Casting, Tara Rubin Casting, and Telsey + Company casting. Recently, she acted as the technical director for the Performing Arts Project, associate producer of the award-winning MOTHER JONES AND the Children's Crusade (NYMF 2014), asst. director and associate producer for VALLEY GIRLS (NYMF 2013 “Best of Fest”), and asst. director SHINER (IAMA Theatre Company). She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While in NC, she founded The Talent Company, a theatre company for middle and high school students in the Uwharrie region that is currently in its 10th season.
In a recent interview, Gunsteens (director) stated, “EVERSCAPE is both funny and poignant, fantastical and grounded. It deals with the realities of addiction and escapism, very real issues within our generation today, but is filled with so many action-packed fight scenes and hilarious characters that speak to you whether you are an avid WoW player or have never even touched an Xbox. The show is exciting and funny and troubling and redeeming. How often do you find new work that is all of those things?”
EVERSCAPE will return to the Celebration of Whimsy Theater (21 Stanton Street) as part of the “Best of Fest” extension on the following dates: Thursday, October 1 at 9:00 p.m.; Friday, October 2 at 9:00 p.m.; Thursday, October 8 at 9:00 pm. General admission tickets are $16 online and $20 at the door; advance tickets are available online through links at EverScapeThePlay.com and theCOWnyc.com.
For more information on EVERSCAPE visit www.EverScapeThePlay.com
