Bootstraps Comedy Theater Presents THE BOXER At FringeNYC 8/26 Thru 8/30

Dallas' Bootstraps Comedy Theater presents THE BOXER: A Silent Film Onstage at the New York International Fringe Festival - FringeNYC. The Present Company production will run from August 26th to August 30th. Tickets cost $15. For tickets visit www.FringeNYC.org.

Press notes state, "Depression Era. A bumbling Boxer. A lass dressed like a lad. Bootstraps Comedy Theater is thrilled to present THE BOXER as part of the 13th annual New York International Fringe Festival - FringeNYC. Dallas Observer's Best Small Theater Company brings their "silent film on stage" to New York for a limited run in August.

THE BOXER is a unique theatrical experience; a silent play in the style of Chaplin and Keaton comedies. Our heroine, Velma, dresses as a guy to get honest work. She ends up training (and falling in love with) a hapless boxer for his big fight against ridiculously savage, Bavarian Beast. THE BOXER features clever live music, projected dialogue, film montages, and fast paced, perfectly timed physical comedy to tell a simple love story with lots of heart. Live music, Love and Laughter gang up in this roundhouse hit from Texas.

As a one-hour play with no spoken words, THE BOXER is dependent on live accompaniment and sound effects of B. Wolf, a 40-year Dallas Theater fixture, and Johnny Sequenzia, which was recognized by the DFW Theater Critics Forum for "Creative Contribution". Their use of silent-era-style tunes mixed with modern allusions that comment on the action enhances and drives the story along. Bits of familiar songs and contemporary hits are seamlessly interwoven to create a stunning and hilarious soundtrack."

THE BOXER premiered in Dallas in 2007, and won eight Column Awards, a Dallas Observer "Best Of" Award and three DFW Theater Critics Forum Awards. The production in FringeNYC reunites most of the original cast including Jeff Swearingen (winner of a DFW Theater Critic Forum and Column "Best Actor" Award) as the titular Boxer, and Kim Lyle as Velma. The versatile supporting includes Joel McDonald, Ben Bryant, Steve Jones, Kineta Massey, Laurie Williamson, Marie Charlson and Cassidy Crown.

Playwright/Director Matt Lyle, who has recently had new works commissioned by Audacity Theatre Lab and Pegasus Theater, will direct THE BOXER at Collin College this Fall. Award-winning Costume Designer Aaron Turner has worked in theatres from Santa Fe to Washington D.C., most recently at Dallas Children's Theater, Circle Theater, and Trinity Shakespeare Festival. Camron Cooke, Associate Producer for New York's WestBeth Entertainment Company serves as Company Manager.

Bootstraps Comedy Theater was founded in Dallas in 2004 and received the Dallas Observer's "Best Of" award for "Best Small Theater Company."

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.THEBOXER.ORG.

Photo Credit: Mark Oristano