Parallel Universe Theater Resources is premiering its large ensemble decadently spiritual verse play FREEFALL FROSTBITE at the historic Ellen Stewart Theater as part of the New York Fringe Festival in August, 2013.
Written by Michael Fixel (Salamander Stew, Fringe 2011), scored by Fixel and Broadway veteran musical director Marc Irwin, assistant musical director and piano conductor Adele Dinerstein, and directed and choreographed by Juliet Fixel, it is Shakespeare as if he had hung out with William S. Burroughs. It has songs, but it's sure not Lerner and Lowe.
The mission of Parallel Universe is to provide meaningful artistic opportunities for early career performers. That's part of the reason we favor large-cast productions- that and the fact that we just love specatcle. We are really looking forward to whirlpooling around the vast mystical space of the Ellen Stewart Theater on 4th Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side.
Large ensemble means relatively high costs. We believe in featuring the skills of the performers over scenery and effects, and that keeps production costs low, but we still wind up spending plenty on big rehearsal halls, costumes, incidentals like programs, and invisibles like insurance.
We feel really privileged to have been selected by Fringe. Only one of five applicants makes it to the stage. Fringe does an excellent job of making it possible to produce a show in New York at moderate cost. It's still New York, though.
Our goal is to raise about $300 for each of the thirty-three or so members of the troupe (it's hard to tell exactly how many- they keep moving). Even if we are successful in this drive, we still have to sell alot of tickets, so please help spread the word.
You can hear some of the score and read an excerpt from the play on our website.
Juliet Fixel's realization of the prequel at Fringe in 2011, earned accolades such as this from nytheater.com:
"Salamander Stew is a refreshingly unique experience with a confident sense of itself, performed virtuosically by a talented and committed ensemble."
Freefall Frostbite is, if anything, a much more ambitious play. Perhaps an important play. Where it will go from here is anybody's guess. With your help though it will have already succeeded in its most important goal, that of providing a significant opportunity to these dedicated young actors and techs and gifting them with an experience they will remember the rest of their lives and be proud to have on their resumes.
