RIPPLE OF HOPE Set for FringeNYC, 8/15-27

As a part of FringeNYC from 8/15-8/27, former South Bronx public school drama teacher Karen Sklaire's empowering solo show RIPPLE OF HOPE: One Teacher's Journey to Make an Impact will have performances at the White Box Studio (440 Lafayette St.). Sklaire is currently a Drama teacher at PS2 in Manhattan and the show chronicles her trials and tribulations of being an advocate of the arts in our public schools.

Directed by Padraic Lillis (who has worked on Broadway, National Tours, Off-Broadway, and Tony Award-winning Regional Theaters), RIPPLE OF HOPE will also be a part of DC's Capital Fringe Festival with performances July 17-25 in Washington, DC. Lillis is also a member of Labyrinth Theater Company and was the 2013 FringeNYC Overall Excellence Award-winner for Best Director for Bully.

In RIPPLE OF HOPE, a young idealist from Connecticut, inspired by 'teacher-as-hero' movies, begins her career teaching drama in the South Bronx. In this autobiographical solo show, Karen navigates her way through the troubled NYC school system as she struggles to engage her challenging students with everything from 'gangsta' improvs to a rap version of 'Annie'. Her dedication to her students and her desire to make a difference impels her to find a way to please an ever-changing administration in order to keep her job. She will soon realize that in a world of budget cuts, rubber rooms and the common core, the question is not "what's wrong with me?" but, rather, "what's wrong with this system?"

Karen Sklaire is an actress, singer and comedienne who has toured the country with Theatreworks/USA and has been featured Off-Broadway at The Promenade Theatre, Town Hall, and The Soho Playhouse. She has performed standup comedy in clubs throughout NYC and has hosted such comedians as Judah Friedlander (30 Rock) and Colin Quinn, as well as touring with comedian Rob Bartlett and the Bartletts. She has appeared on Saturday Night Live, In the Mix and on The Imus in the Morning Show.

RIPPLE OF HOPE will have five performances as a part of FringeNYC Aug. 15-27 at the White Box Studio (440 Lafayette St.) on SAT. 8/15 at 12:15PM, WED. 8/19 at 7PM, SUN. 8/23 at 7PM, WED. 8/26 at 2:45PM and THUR. 8/27 at 7PM. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased online at www.FringeNYC.org beginning 7/17.