IT IS WHAT IT IS, Young Man's Journey with Cerebral Palsy, Set for ONE Festival

The ONE Festival has announced It Is What It Is, written by Thomas Ellenson and Christopher J. Hanke and performed by Thomas Ellenson. It Is What It Is will play October 19-22 at 7pm with a special benefit performance for CAT Youth Theater on October 23.

The 2017 ONE Festival winner will perform at The Clemente Center in the Flamboyan Theater located at 107 Suffolk Street, between Rivington and Delancey Streets, NYC's Lower East Side. Tickets are available at itiswhatitisnyc.eventbrite.com.

The solo show is billed as follows: People need to realize that a guy with a disability is, first of all, just a guy. It Is What It Is shares the experiences of a young man with cerebral palsy, who wants to let people know that disabilities can actually be interesting and funny. Thomas Ellenson is a 19-year-old actor who has appeared in several Off-Off Broadway productions, a network TV episode, and many news segments. Aside from having talent and ambition, Thomas also has Cerebral Palsy. Due to his disability, Thomas uses a power wheelchair and speaks using an iPad.

The ONE Festival creates a platform in which the most diverse, and creative solo performers have an opportunity to showcase their talent. The 12th Annual Festival took place April 24th to April 30, 2017 at Teatro Circulo on East 4th Street in Manhattan. This year 13 plays were selected and "It Is What It Is" won with the most audience votes. Winner takes home a Plaque, Cash Prize, a full theatrical production produced by Caicedo Productions the parent company of The ONE Festival. Visit www.caicedoproductions.com for more information.

Submissions for the 13th Annual The ONE Festival are now open. The festival will take place in Spring 2018. For more details, visit www.theonefestival.com.