Memory Play WARM SODA Comes to United Solo Fest

Justin Lemieux, a Dallas-based actor and writer, will present his original solo performance piece Warm Soda, directed by Dallas director and composer Jake Nice, as part of the United Solo Fest on September 20, 2017.

This memory piece, which Lemieux calls, " A cross between The Wonder Years and Annie Hall," encapsulates the thrill of new friendship all the way through the grief and confusion that comes when those deep connections are severed, or rather, frayed. A love story about coming of age, Warm Soda wants to know, "Were you the kid with the good snacks in your house, or did you gaze longingly into the bounty of your best friend's overflowing pantry?"

This production, a nostalgic examination of friendship, is an original work by Lemieux; a thoughtful reflection on a childhood friendship. Bonded by a shared love of video games and junk food, Justin and his best friend Joey grow together, and apart, in the niche, technological boom of the 1990s.

This will have each audience member thinking of the relationships that formed their youth, remembering the tumultuous and emotional experience of growing up, and realizing friendships don't always last.

About the production: Warm Soda was created during Lemieux's time at Southern Methodist University as a graduate student in the MFA Acting Program, under the guidance of Rhonda Blair, where Jake first saw the performance. The production was revived as part of House Party Theatre's 2016 evening of solo shows, HP3. Though Jake and Justin grew up in different generations, and different parts of the country, Jake immediately felt connected to the story. This re-worked version of the performance is a true collaboration of writer and director, each bringing valuable insight to the performance. Justin has been accepted into the 2017 United Solo Festival in New York City and will perform the piece there in September. Justin continues to tighten and develop this work under the mentorship of celebrated playwright and actor Tom Dugan, whose original solo piece Wiesenthal is currently on a national tour.

Justin Lemieux (Writer and Performer) Credits include: Dallas Theater Center: Romeo And Juliet (Paris); Sense And Sensibility (John Dashwood) and for one night, School For Wives (Horace); Amphibian Stage Productions: The Trap (Tom); Crossing The Line (Arthur). Circle Theatre: Mass Appeal (Mark); Trinity Shakespeare Festival: Comedy Of Errors (Angelo); The Tempest (Boatswain); Shakespeare in the Bar: Romeo And Juliet (Romeo); SMU: A Flea In Her Ear (Chandebise/Poche); Black Snow (Sergei); Richard III (Brackenbury). He can be seen this September at the United Solo Festival in New York. BA from the University of Dallas, MFA from Southern Methodist University. Member of AEA.

Jake Nice (Director) makes music and theatre in Dallas-Fort Worth. Current project: composing original music for a production of Ipheginia at SMU which fuses Western and Middle Eastern aesthetics. Jake recently produced and directed the regional premiere of Young Jean Lee's We're Gonna Die, which toured DFW and showcased different local musicians each night. Other directing credits include Hypochondria (The Tribe); The Burial At Thebes, In The Boom Boom Room (SMU). Jake has served as Assistant Director with several local companies including Dallas Theater Center, Undermain Theatre, Second Thought Theatre, Shakespeare Dallas, and Amphibian Stage Productions. Jake has composed original music for Midas (PrismCo); Frosty: Songs Of Redemption, John Aceman: Secret Agent (House Party Theatre) and his gypsy beach rock collective, Surprising Flavor. Jake holds a B.F.A. in Theatre Studies from Southern Methodist University.

Jenny Manbeck is a Dallas-born designer specializing in print and web applications. Jenny graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and studied web publishing at UCSD, focusing on the emerging field of website design. After freelancing with many companies and taking full-time positions in real estate corporate headquarters and Children's Medical Center in Dallas, she turned her attention to the nonprofit world, creating marketing initiatives for Fort Worth's Jewel Charity. When Jenny isn't obsessing over color selections and font pairings, she spends time with her husband, two children, and neurotic dog Harry.

2017 United Solo, the world's largest solo theatre festival, currently in its 8th year, will present 120 shows from six continents at Theatre Row: 410 West 42nd Street, New York City. TICKETS, with a price of $35 (plus a $2.25 theatre restoration charge) are available at Theatre Row box office, 410 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036, as well as over the phone at 212.239.6200 and online at telecharge.com. More details can be found at