NY Shakespeare Exchange Presents THE ONE MAN (two man (not quite)) HAMLET 5/7

THE ONE MAN (two man (not quite)) HAMLET, the inaugural production from the New York Shakespeare Exchange, will get its world premiere next month at HERE Arts Center, running from May 7th-29th. Written and performed by Kevin Brewer (a veteran of the Cleveland Playhouse and the Michigan and North Carolina Shakespeare Festivals), the production intertwines the epic journey of Hamlet with modern video technology as a single actor brings this dynamic multi-media romp to life by performing the entire show with only a video of himself as his co-star. Director and actor Ross Williams (dir., Dreamscape Theatre's acclaimed Hamlet, also originated the featured role of Gimli in Lord of the Rings in Toronto) will direct this inventive work that explores the true nature of success and the unrealistic standards to which we often hold ourselves.

In THE ONE MAN (Two Man (not quite)) HAMLET, two actors are deep into the final night of rehearsal for an ambitious two-person retelling of Shakespeare's masterpiece. An actor named K performs the title role live onstage, while another actor named V (who looks suspiciously like K) plays the remaining roles through a video feed from another room. Panic sets in when K reveals he's never been able to make it through the show without succumbing to random moments of paralyzing memory loss, bringing the performance to a crashing halt. With only hours to go before the opening, K desperately recruits his video doppelganger to help him discover the root of his problem. With dialogue that adeptly bounces back and forth from Shakespeare's poetry to contemporary language, this intriguing new comedy invites the audience to witness a man grappling with his most private and palpable fear.

THE ONE MAN (two man (not quite)) HAMLET will run at the HERE Arts Center (145 6th Ave. between Spring & Broome, enter on Dominick), with performances Mon-Sat at 7pm from May 7th thru May 29th.

Tickets are priced at $25 and can be purchased online at www.here.org or by phone at 212-352-3101.

The New York Shakespeare Exchange offers vibrant productions and events which promote a mutually beneficial cultural dialogue between the theatrical and non-arts communities of New York City. Through performances, interactive seminars, and educational outreach, they use Shakespeare's words and classical performance techniques to enhance morale, creativity, and personal effectiveness within non-arts organizations. For more information, visit www.ShakespeareExchange.org

This production is being presented through HEREstay, HERE's curated rental program, which provides artists with subsidized space and equipment, as well as technical and administrative support.

Since 1993, the OBIE-winning HERE Arts Center has been a premier arts organization in NYC and a leader in the field of new, hybrid performance work. Under leadership of Founding Artistic Director Kristin Marting and Producing Director Kim Whitener, HERE has served over 12,000 emerging to mid-career artists developing work that does not fit a conventional programming agenda. Work presented at HERE has garnered 14 OBIE awards, including the 2009 Ross Wetzsteon Award, an OBIE grant for artistic achievement, three Drama Desk nominations, two Berrilla Kerr Awards, three NY Innovative Theatre Awards, an Edwin Booth Award and a Pulitzer Prize nomination. HERE proudly supports artists at all stages in their careers through full productions, artist residency programs, festivals and subsidized performance and rehearsal space. Work at HERE is curated based on the strength and uniqueness of the artist's vision. HERE's Artist Residency Program (HARP) provides development, commissions and full production for up to 20 artists over one-to-three years. In 2005, with the support of the FJC, a foundation of donor advised funds, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and the City of New York, HERE Arts Center purchased its long-time home as part of a five-year "Secure HERE's Future" campaign. With full-scale renovations to the space concluding in June 2008, thanks to generous support from the City of New York, HERE is poised to continue and expand its role as a downtown haven for the finest emerging art. Offering a comfortable, eclectic setting for artists and audiences alike, HERE features a café and two state-of-the-art performance spaces.

This production was developed at the 3LD Art & Technology Center (80 Greenwich Street @ Rector)

3LD Art & Technology Center creates and supports challenging large-scale art within a financially sustainable environment. Our goals are to create viable growth oriented business models for experimental art production, revitalize the experimental tradition in New York by improving the working conditions and quality of production, and foster a community of artists who work cooperatively and aggressively to address their own barriers. In order to achieve these goals, we create, re-distribute and re-imagine resources that drive core cost reduction while increasing capacity and revenue

For more information on the 3LD Art & Technology Center, visit www.3ldnyc.org

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