One-Woman Show FREEBIRD GOES TO MARS Will Make NY Debut at United Solo Theatre Festival

Named "Best Show" by LA Weekly during Son of Semele's 2015 Solo Creation Festival, Freebird Goes to Mars, the original one-woman show created and starring actress Betsy Moore (While the Trees Sleep, official selection of Cannes Film Festival 2016), will make its New York debut on Saturday, October 7, 2017 at 6:00pm during the 8th Annual United Solo Theatre Festival.

Co-created by Ms. Moore and her director Ilana Gustafson, Freebird Goes to Mars introduces audiences to Betty, aka "Freebird." A recovered alcoholic, everymom from middle America, Betty makes a precarious living as a Walmart cashier and is an example of someone on the losing side of the economic divide in America today. Following the unexpected election of Donald Trump, Betty's journey to the red planet helps illuminate the hopes and fears of America's working poor.

The idea for this hilarious solo show first came to Betsy Moore following a vacation where she had the pleasure of meeting a dear friends mother, who would happily sit talking for hours, with her cigarette in one hand and diet coke in the other. In its first iteration Freebird Goes to Mars was a monologue taken verbatim from these conversations, a la Anna Deavere Smith. Exploring the character more deeply, Ms. Moore developed the rest of the material through improvisation.

"Realizing Betty had become a larger than life presence I knew she needed a larger than life mission..." says Moore. "So we sent her to Mars!"

"This play speaks to everyone," Moore continues. "You may be like Betty, you may know a Betty, or you may just be familiar with the stereotype. But the more an audience gets to know her, the more this stereotype disappears, leaving the audience in awe of the character's authenticity, and in the process are reminded that sophistication is not the same as intelligence or worthiness. Not to mention the added bonus of having a few good laughs along the way."

Tickets for The New York premiere of Freebird Goes to Mars and the rest of the official selections of the United Solo Theatre Festival can be purchased from Telecharge online at www.telecharge.com or by phone at (212) 239-6200.
For more information about Freebird Goes to Mars and the United Solo Theatre Festival please visit www.unitedsolo.org

BETSY MOORE (Performer/Co-Creator). After earning her BA in theatre arts, Betsy Moore performed with Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Her career in Southern CA started with the role of Connie in Tony 'n Tina's Wedding, leading to several stints in improv theatre. Work with experimental writer/director John Sinner led to successful productions at The New York and Amsterdam Fringe Festivals. Among her recent films, she is especially proud of her work in Sissy, a stunning short directed by Bonnie Root, and was awarded best supporting actress for her work in Light as a Feather. She played Joan in groundbreaking Bill and Joan at SacRed Fools followed by several performances at Son of Semele including the well reviewed and honored Love and Information.

ILANA GUSTAFSON (Director/Co-Creator) is a Los Angeles-based performer, writer, and director. She has toured her original work in the U.S. and Europe as both a solo artist and as a collaborator with such ensembles as ARTEL, City Garage, and Theatre Revelation. She is one half of the female clown duo, Duckbits, and a co-founder of commedia dell'Arte troupe, Studio Zanni. She is honored to work with Betsy on Freebird Goes to Mars and share this story that uses the witty humor of this everymom character to explore our shared humanity.

UNITED SOLO THEATRE FESTIVAL is an annual international festival for solo performances held in New York City. Through a variety of one-person shows, the Festival explores and celebrates the uniqueness of the individual. By attending this one-of-a-kind, culturally unique event, our audiences can experience one-person performances from all over the world, better understand foreign cultures and traditions, see the perspective of people in various walks of life, coming from different backgrounds, speaking different languages. Productions are selected from openly solicited submissions and presented at the highly acclaimed Theatre Row in the heart of The New York City theatre district on 42nd Street. Renowned solo performers as well as new talents bring their works in many categories (e.g. storytelling, puppetry, dance, multimedia, documentary, musical, improv, stand-up, poetry, magic, performance art, drama: tragedy or comedy). The artists benefit from being presented by United Solo, a company made up of artists and producers with vast experience in solo performance. Theatre companies are given the opportunity to reach out to the industry, generate income from ticket sales from up to eight performances at the Festival, and receive media attention through previews, profiles, and reviews. Shows are also considered for participation in the exclusive United Solo showcase in Europe, as well as for script publication and other honors at the Festival.

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