THE ZEBRA SHIRT OF LONELY CHILDREN Extends as Part Fringe NYC’s Encores Series

Winner of the Fringe's Award for Overall Excellence in Solo Performance, THE ZEBRA SHIRT OF LONELY CHILDREN, will be part of the FringeNYC's Encore Series. Written and performed by Matthew Trumbull, directed by Matthew Freeman and produced by The Theater Accident, in association with Blue Coyote Theater Group, THE ZEBRA SHIRT OF LONELY CHILDREN begins performances on Saturday, September 8 for a limited engagement through Saturday, September 29. The performance schedule is below. Performances are at SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam Street, between 6th Avenue and Varick Street, three blocks south of Houston Street). The regular ticket price is $18. For tickets, call 212-691-1555 or visitwww.sohoplayhouse.com. For more information, visit www.zebrashirt.net.

The performance schedule is:
Saturday, September 8 at 8pm
Sunday, September 16 at 3pm
Sunday, September 23 at 5pm
Wednesday, September 26 at 8pm
Saturday, September 29 at 8pm

Called "beautifully written" by Theatermania, and given Four Stars from Time Out NY ("[Matthew Trumbull] achieves a masterful balance between the tragedy of loss and the touching moments of humor it can create."), THE ZEBRA SHIRT OF LONELY CHILDREN explores the absurdity and pain of a simple life at an unfathomable end. Navigating the ins and outs of cadaver donation, finding eulogy inspiration at Applebees, and savoring the final conversations 30 years before father or son is ready.

Moving seamlessly between heartbreakingly funny and simply heartbreaking, THE ZEBRA SHIRT OF LONEY CHILDREN journeys through the strange bonding days between Trumbull's cancer-stricken 55-year-old father, an unassuming Minnesota engineer who takes his belief in usefulness above and beyond; and Trumbull, a New York City actor with a slew of day jobs both brief and bizarre.

Matthew Trumbull (playwright/performer) is an award-winning downtown and Indie Theatre actor. The Zebra Shirt of Lonely Children at the 2012 New York International Fringe Festival will be his playwriting and solo performance debut.  He has acted twice before in the Fringe, in Nosedive Production's Infectious Opportunity (2011), and Gideon Production's Viral (2009, "Outstanding Play"). He was most recently seen in Flux Theatre Ensemble's DEINDE, and was praised for his "hilarious" (Tor.com) and "delightful" (Showshowdown.com) performance. Other NYC companies he's appeared with include Blue Coyote Theater Group, Retro Productions, Boomerang Theatre Company, Metropolitan Playhouse, Impetuous Theater Group, and the Brick Theater.  Matthew was a storyteller at The Soundtrack Series in 2011, and on the Nytheatre.com People of the Year list in 2009.   He has collaborated with his director, Matthew Freeman, for 18 years.

Matthew Freeman (director) is a long-time collaborator with Matthew Trumbull. He is a playwright, director. His plays have been seen on stages throughout New York City, at the Access Theater, The Brick Theater in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; HERE Arts Center; The Metropolitan Playhouse, Manhattan Theatre Source and at the Incubator Arts Project at St. Mark's Church. His plays include When Is A Clock, The Most Wonderful Love, Glee Club, The Great Escape, The Death of King Arthur, The Americans, Confess Your Bubble, That Old Soft Shoe and Brandywine Distillery Fire. His work has been published by Samuel French, Smith & Kraus, the New York Theatre Experience and Playscripts, Inc. He has directed works by Anthony Pennino at the Red Room and the NY International Fringe Festival; and his own adaptation of the mystery plays, Genesis, with Handcart Ensemble. As an actor, he appeared in various Shakespeare productions with Gorilla Repertory Theater and Frog & Peach Theater, and his own An Interview with the Author at the Brick Theater's "Pretentious Festival." He was named one of nytheatre.com's People of the Year in 2004. He has also served as the Assistant Producer/Senior Writer for the official webcast for New Year's Eve live from Times Square in 2009-2011. Emerson College graduate.