BASIC HELP to Play FRIGID NYC Festival, Begin. 2/21

FRIGID New York presents a STRANGEDOG THEATRE production BASIC HELP written by Ben Clawson on Fri 21-Feb@8:40, Thur 27-Feb@5:30/Sat 1-Mar @6:50/Wed 5-Mar@10:15 - Night Owl Special!; and Sun 9-Mar @12:30 at UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place). The production is directed by Artem Yatsunov (Bootstraps, The Virilogy, Claire Went To France) with Assistant Director Michael Joel and will feature Megan Greener (The Pearl, Secret Theatre) and Gavin Earl Johnson. Press Photography by Rebecca Bickley, Original Art Work by Michelle Lupo, Graphic Design by Lindsey Yadon. Assistant Director Michael Joel. The production is Stage Managed by Rachael Tucker.

"Your call may be monitored." When Cynthia's blender breaks she calls up customer service where Simon answers, eager to help; however, when Cynthia explains that much like the blender her entire life is broken, full of brutal, bitter, un-blend-able baggage Simon realizes that he really can't help her. Which doesn't stop Cynthia from calling him back, again and again....and again... A dark comedy about robots, sick mice, failed relationships and finding simple companionship in the strangest of places.

Ben Clawson received his B.F.A. in Theater from Montclair State University. He is the author of numerous full-length plays, short comedies, and evenings of thematically connected one acts. His plays have had professional productions, readings, and workshops throughout New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Washington D.C. and New Orleans. He has written commissioned works for the Luna Stage Company - Dangers Of Electric Lighting (season opener 2012) and The High Water Mark (season opener 2013) - The Montclair State University School of the Arts, and the Contagious Drama Theatre Workshop. He has been an evening winner and finalist in the Samuel French Short Play festival, national finalist for the American College Theater Festival's John Cauble One-Act Award, finalist for the Princess Grace Award in playwriting, and recipient of the Kennedy Center's David Mark Cohen award. He is a member of the Dramatist Guild, and a co-founder of the StrangeDog Theatre Company with whom he has produced many of his plays.

Artem Yatsunov received his B.F.A. in Theatre from Montclair State University. In 2008, Artem along with the playwright Ben Clawson and a handful of irresponsibly creative individuals co-founded StrangeDog Theatre. In just five years StrangeDog has produced over 30 evenings of serious nonsense, nights of mild mayhem, and occasionally even some honest to goodness pieces of theatre. Faves: Clawson's Omnivores (PTNJ), The Virilogy (Horse Trade), The StrangeDog Eat Dog and Pony Show (The Tank); Noah Hidle's Kitty Kitty Kitty (Tierney's Tavern); Israela Margalit's Night Blooming Jasmine (Under St Marks). Currently Artem is planning an NJ-NY tour for StrangeDog Theatre of Enchanted Arms - a collection of five dark interpretations of classic fairy tales written by John Wooten, Nikkole Salter, Stacie Lents, Joseph Palestina and Ben Clawson (premiere, Luna Stage January 2014), and additionally he is religiously practicing his ukulele as he gets ready to perform at the Edmonton and Winnipeg Fringes this summer with his girlfriend Antonia in their brand new show: Pair of Animals wants to marry YOU!

STRANGEDOG THEATRE COMANY is a nomadic troupe intent on creating new plays for both avid theatre-lovers and people who mistakenly think they don't like plays. www.strangedogtheatre.com