THE BABY Extends at Hollywood Fringe Fest Through 8/31

The Visceral Company's production of THE BABY, a new play based on the bizarre 1973 cult film classic that premiered in the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival, has been selected for an official Best of Fringe extension.

THE BABY, adapted for the stage and directed by Visceral's artistic director Dan Spurgeon (2013 LA Weekly Theater Award winner), will play from July 26 through August 31 on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm.

All performances are at the Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave., Hollywood, CA. Tickets are $20 and are available through www.thevisceralcompany.com. Due to the shocking and graphic nature of this play, absolutely no one under age 18 will be admitted!

THE BABY follows social worker Ann Gentry as she finds herself with a very unusual case: the Wadsworth family, whose youngest member, Baby, is an adult man who sleeps in a crib and acts like an infant. Is Ann on the case to help the disabled Baby escape his abusive mother and sisters, or is her interest in him more... special? Part bizarre love story, part twisted fairy tale, part mystery thriller and all outrageous and offensive, the '70s cult film comes to the stage with a story so strange and shocking, you won't believe it's happening right in front of you.

THE BABY features Jana Wimer as social worker Ann Gentry; Karen Kahler as Ann's mother-in-law Judith; Frank Blocker (NY Drama Desk nominee) as Mama Wadsworth; Natasha Charles Parker and Maison Leigh as daughters Germaine and Alba; and Torrey Halverson as Baby, the adult son who wears a diaper, sleeps in a crib and acts like an infant.

Rounding out the cast are Samm Hill, Jonica Patella (LA Weekly Theater Award winner), Brian Prisco, Starskee Suave and Devin Sullivan. Most cast members from the original Fringe production are returning for the extension (only Ms. Leigh and Mr. Sullivan are new to the cast).

Costume design is by Erica D. Schwartz, with Mama Wadsworth's costumes by the House of Kenneth Allen. Lighting design is by Dave Sousa (LA Weekly Theater Award nominee), and music coordination by Neel Boyett.

The Visceral Company is dedicated to presenting killer shows from darker places. We hope to encourage further onstage exploration of the horror, thriller and science fiction genres, which have been underrepresented in theater, and to build an appreciation of theater in the younger audiences that are traditionally drawn to them.