JAMES FRANCO AND ME: AN UNAUTHORIZED SATIRE Headed To NYC Fringe

After a prolonged legal back-and-forth, Epic Theatre Company's "James Franco and Me: An Unauthorized Satire" is heading to New York City as part of FringeNYC. Written by Epic's Artistic Director Kevin Broccoli, the show has an newly adjusted title and a clear path to its desired destination as it heads to the festival in October.

"To say that I'm thrilled would be an understatement," says Broccoli, "The play was actually designed for FringeNYC. Epic had participated in the festival in 2016, and on the way home, I started thinking about a script I had that I thought we could submit the following year. When Fringe took a sabbatical, we came up with another plan for getting the show to New York, and that's when our big publicity adventure began."

The play performed to sold-out audiences in Rhode Island, but when Epic made plans to transfer it to a venue in New York City, the theater received a cease-and-desist letter from Mr. Franco's representatives. The venue made the difficult decision to cancel the run, and Broccoli found himself at the center of a media firestorm surrounding free speech and the rights of celebrities.

"I got very lucky, because we were given some invaluable legal help that aided us in resolving the matter," says Broccoli, "It just so happened that as I was gearing up to find another venue in the city, I got the FringeNYC e-mail asking for submissions, and it seemed like kismet. The show was created for Fringe, and I'm so happy it'll be able to join the festival's amazing history of theatrical innovation and creativity."

"James Franco and Me: An Unauthorized Satire" revolves around a writer named Kevin Broccoli sitting in a hospital waiting room while his father is on his deathbed. Keeping Broccoli company is James Franco, a Renaissance celebrity and raconteur, who has no discernible reason for being there. The two get through the long, long night by discussing movies, missed opportunities, and how to make the most out of a life in (pop) culture.

Adding to the unique nature of the script, is the concept-the show is performed with absolutely no rehearsals. Broccoli and another actor step onstage having memorized the script, but they have no conversations beforehand about how to perform the show. Every night, a different actor or actress plays Franco. When the show was performed in Rhode Island, the Franco's ranged from a seventeen-year-old boy to a fifty-year-old woman.

"Ultimately, the show is about appreciating the time you're given," says Broccoli, "The piece definitely has a sarcastic edge, but deep down, it's a very loving and life-affirming play. Everyone who's seen it or acted in it has been affected by it. The frustrating part about what happened last summer was that we all really wanted this piece to go further than just Rhode Island, and for awhile, it seemed like that wouldn't be possible. To be able to bring it back to life is a dream come true, and I'm looking forward to what comes next."

"James Franco and Me: An Unauthorized Satire" will make its New York Premiere at FringeNYC in October 2018.