Adopted by Appalachians at Madnani (Main Space)

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2. Adopted by Appalachians

Premiering at Hollywood Fringe, this is the true story of how a girl from the Rural South used the investigative techniques she learned on TV to track down her biological father across multiple states over 25 years.

Reveal the secrets of a nice family in a small town in the 1990s. From a young age, Paulina is let in on a little family secret. Her real father wasn’t the man who raised her. This answered a lot of questions, but opened up a lot more.

Writer (Reductress, The Washington Post) and comedian (The Comedy Store, Caroline’s on Broadway) Paulina Combow invites audiences on a suspenseful journey of self-discovery in “Adopted by Appalachians.” In a time before AncestryDNA, she sets out to crack the cold case she was born to solve. 

Echoes of detective novels and true crime thrillers permeate this one-person show, as Paulina employs her sharp investigative skills, learned from a parent in law enforcement and an obsession with legendary detectives like Poirot, J.B. Fletcher, and most of all FBI Agent Fox Mulder. Paulina begins her investigation with only a name and an unshakeable belief that “The Truth is Out There”.

Quotes from the show:

“The Unabomber? You picked to be pen pals with the guy who kills people through the mail?” -Mulder

“What’s it called when everyone around you conspires to keep something a secret?” -Paulina

“Nobody can hide from DNA.” -Mulder

“I’ve gone my whole life not knowing my own name.” -Paulina

“I can’t take that place. They believe the Earth is 6,000 years old and that dinosaur bones were hidden by the Devil as a way to test our faith.” -Paulina

Fans of true crime will recognize the methods used to solve this cold cases are the same methods used to solve famous cases and locate the more notorious serial killers. 

Key Features: "Adopted by Appalachians" utilizes multimedia to create an immersive experience that will leave audiences on the edge of their seats. Immersive elements include taking you back to 1997 to see Titanic in theaters for the first time, a super secret sorority initiation, and learn how the author became pen pals with the Unabomber. 

Performance Dates and Times:

• Saturday, June 8, 2024, at 2:30pm

• Sunday, June 16, 2024, at 7:00pm

• Sunday, June 23, 2024, at 5:30pm

Venue: The Madnani Theatre, Main Space, 6760 Lexington Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90038

Ticket Information: Tickets are available for purchase on the Hollywood Fringe Fest website at hollywoodfringe.orgstarting May 1, 2024, for $15 or pay what you can. 

Creative Team: Written and performed by Paulina Combow, and produced by Jessica Lynn Johnson of Soaring Solo Studios. Featuring art and visuals by Luis Villanueva.