2014's Best Comedic Script 'TALES FROM GERIASSIC PARK' to Return to United Solo This Fall

TALES FROM GERIASSIC PARK - On the Verge of Extinction, returns to The United Solo Theatre Festival for an Encore Performance. Last year, the production won an award for Best Comedic Script and played to sold-out houses at the United Solo Festival. TALES FROM GERIASSIC PARK is written and performed by Verna Gillis. Eva Tenuto who is the Executive Director of the TMI Project, directs.

TALES FROM GERIASSIC PARK - On the Verge of Extinction is a poignant, uproarious look at family, relationships, addiction, peeing, aging, cancer, and scones. Writer, performer Verna Gillis who is 73 years old, takes the audiences on a journey into "Older!" Seventy three is the new 73!

The creative team includes lighting design and stage management by Tim Soyk, and assistant producer Sarah Taylor.

Performances take place at Theatre Row/Studio Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street (between 9th & 10th Avenues), New York, NY 10036 on Sunday, September 27th at 6:00 pm Subways: A/C/E to 42nd Street. Tickets are $19.25 and are available at the Theatre Row box office, or at 212-239-6200 -www.unitedsolo.org/us/talesfrom-2015/. Running time: 60 minutes. More info is available at www.vernagillis.com.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Verna Gillis (Writer/Performer) has been performing "sit down comedy" standing up since 2010 when she won her first slam sponsored by TMI in Ulster County. The topic was Coming of Age which she changed to Coming of Aging. She is also the "imaginator" of KICK BUTT BALL and is featured in the senior version of the video. (www.kickbuttball.com) Verna's book "I JUST WANT TO BE INVITED - I Promise Not to Come" is available on Amazon. Verna has a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology and taught at both Brooklyn College and Carnegie Mellon. In addition, she did field work recording music in Peru, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Iran, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Ghana and Cuba. 27 albums of these recordings are available on Smithsonian Folkways. In 1979 she opened SOUNDSCAPE, the first multi-cultural performance space and producing organization in NYC. Verna was the first US presenter of African Pop and in 1983 brought King Sunny Ade from Nigeria which the NY Times called "the pop event of the decade." At different times she has managed the careers of Youssou Ndour, Salif Keita, Yomo Toro and Carlinhos Brown. Her expertise was working with musicians from traditional cultures expressing themselves in popular music, and helping them bring their music to a wider audience. Her present collaborator in most things is Roswell Rudd.

United Solo, the world's largest solo theatre festival, celebrates its 6th anniversary season and its dynamic expansion in scope and popularity. Over 130 shows from six continents are staged at Theatre Row: 410 West 42nd Street, New York City. For more info, go to www.unitedsolo.org.

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