'Bent to the Flame,' on Williams and Crane, Begins Aug. 12

Fugitive Productions will present Bent to the Flame - A Night With Tennessee Williams for the 11th  New York International Fringe Festival-FringeNYC at the SoHo Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street, (between 6th Ave. and Varick). The solo play is written and performed by Doug Tompos and directed by Michael Michetti (co-artistic director of The Theatre at Boston Court in Pasadena) with shows from August 12th through 26th.

"Although Tennessee Williams never met the poet Hart Crane, his devotion to Crane and his poetry was one of the deepest of his life.  The play explores the nature of creativity and the deeply personal relationship between these two great American artists.  Set in 1945, the play depicts Williams following the opening of his first successful Broadway play, The Glass Menagerie.  Suffering from a debilitating writer's block, he struggles to regain his inspiration through a reading of Crane's poetry and, ultimately, find the courage to continue work on what would become A Streetcar Named Desire, one of his most demanding plays.  Through it all is Williams' unique wit, sensitivity, and deep convictions about art, truth, endurance, and man's struggle to keep a capacity for tenderness alive.  A provocative, humorous, and inspiring portrait, Bent to the Flame offers a deeper and deeper revelation of both men's lives as the playwright dares to bend to the creative flame," as described in press notes.

Doug Tompos began his career in New York, where his acting credits include the original Broadway production of City of Angels and the Off-Broadway hits Forever Plaid and Jeffrey.  While in NYC, he also authored and starred in Dan Quayle: In His Own Words, a political satire.  He has worked in regional theaters across the country, including Angels In America at The American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, Mourning Becomes Electra, A Doll's House at the Ensemble Theatre Company, Of Mice and Men at South Coast Repertory, Deathtrap, The Man Who Came To Dinner and Dracula, End of the World Party at the Celebration Theater (DramaLogue Award), and A Chorus Line and The Rocky Horror Show at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle.  Most recently, he had a starring role in the feature film Being Michael Madsen.  His other film and television appearances include roles on "Close to Home", "The West Wing", "Frasier", "Angel", "High Incident", and "Babylon 5"; the feature films The Sleepwalker Killing, The Ultimate Lie, and October 22; and the award-winning short films Winged and Positive, among others. 

All Tickets are $15.  For tickets. visit www.FringeNYC.org  or call In New York: (212) 279-4488 or Outside New York:  1-888-FringeNYC.   Tickets go on sale July 20th. The box office at FringeCENTRAL opens in August, Noon to 8pm, for sales - Cash or Credit Card.  The performance will play: Sun., 8/12 at noon, Wed. 8/15 at 7pm, Fri. 8/24 at 11pm, Sat. 8/25 9:30pm and Sun 8/26 at 4pm.