Photo Flash: First Look at YOU ARE DEAD. YOU ARE HERE., Beg. Tonight at HERE

As part of its 2012-2013 producing Season, HERE presents You Are Dead. You Are Here. Together, playwright Christine Evans, director Joseph Megel and media designer Jared Mezzocchi have formed Transit Lounge, and You Are Dead. You Are Here. marks the company's debut production. This world premiere plays a limited engagement tonight, June 5-22, with Official Opening Night on Sunday, June 9 at 8:30PM at HERE (145 Sixth Avenue, just below Spring Street). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below!

Oscillating between present and past, You Are Dead. You Are Here. tells the charged story of an encounter between an American soldier and an Iraqi girl blogger. Inspired by the convergence of video-game environments, interactive technologies and military research, this media theater work incorporates animated landscapes from "Virtual Iraq," a virtual-reality program used in military training, PTSD therapy and rehabilitation.

You Are Dead. You Are Here. began in 2010 when director Joseph Megel commissioned Christine Evans to write a script for the Virtual Performance Factory as part of the CHAT Festival at UNC Chapel Hill. Evans wrote a short piece about a U.S. veteran haunted by video-game style flash-backs to Iraq. Inspired by the powerful response to the work, and with media designer Jared Mezzocchi joining in collaboration, the trio decided to work together on a full-length version. In 2010, they joined HERE as Resident Artists. Subsequently Dr. Skip Rizzo, creator of "Virtual Iraq," allowed the team to work directly with this cutting-edge software (designed for use in military PTSD rehabilitation therapy) and permitted media designer Mezzocchi to retool it for stage use. The newly-formed company Transit Lounge then developed You Are Dead. You Are Here. through its HERE residency and successive workshops at A.R.T., the Institute for Creative Technologies in LA (where Virtual Iraq's creative team works), Georgetown University and U.N.C. Chapel Hill. At HERE this June, theater audiences will experience the animated landscapes of Virtual Iraq in live performance for the first time, woven into in a gripping, visually immersive 21st century war story.

You Are Dead. You Are Here. features performances by Anthony Gaskins, Kathreen Khavari and Kittson O'Neill with Scenic Design by Mellie Katakalos, Lighting Design by Robert Denton, Sound Design by Christopher Baine, Costume Design by Lana Duiverman and Stage Management by ElizaBeth Rogers. Heidi Nelson is Dramaturg/Outreach Coordinator and Transit Lounge Producer is Lanie Zipoy.

You Are Dead. You Are Here. plays tonight, June 5 - 22 at 8:30pm, Tuesday - Sunday (no performances Monday). In honor of its 20th Anniversary Season, HERE has established a new ticket-pricing initiative aimed at keeping performances accessible to all: tickets are $10 in advance, and $20 on the day of show. Student Rush FREE with ID. Tickets can be purchased at www.here.org or by calling (212) 352-3101 or at the HERE Box Office (5PM until curtain on show days). HERE is located at 145 Sixth Avenue (just below Spring Street, entrance on Dominick).

Photo Credit: Lana Duiverman (unless otherwise specified)

Kittson O'Neill, Anthony Gaskins

Anthony Gaskins

Anthony Gaskins

Kathreen Khavari (Photo Credit: Steven Schreiber)