FringeNYC to Present Scottish Drama 'Helmet'

Maryann Lombardi and the New York International Fringe Festival will present the American Premiere of Douglas Maxwell's Helmet, presented and directed by Maryann Lombardi (Off-Broadway's Homecoming and Gene Kelly: A Live Documentary).

Featuring Michael Evans Lopez and Troy David Mercier, Helmet will play a two-week limited engagement at The Player's Loft (115 MacDougal Street, 3rd Floor). Performances begin Saturday, August 11th and continue through to Sunday, August 19th.

"Helmet is a kid obsessed with computer games.  The shop, where he spends most of his days, is closing down.  Sal, the owner, despises guys like Helmet and blames them for his, and the shop's, downfall.  Sal takes his now ample time pining for his wife's return, dodging his father, and trying to convince Helmet to change his ways. Sal feels if he can succeed at something then he can finally face the mess in his private life.  But it maybe too late as the truth slowly comes out and they both move through the levels of the play," state press notes.

"The play is told in the style of a video game.  The shop is real, the characters are real, but the play is framed by the paraphernalia of a game; energy bars, multiple lives, check points, etc. The American premiere production is presented in a physical aesthetic and with a vibrant sound track that compliments the computer game format and challenges the senses."

The production features lighting design by Robert Strano, sound design by Amy Altadonna and Vincent Olivieri. Lauria Kincaid is the stage manager and Talya Kingston is the dramaturg.

Maxwell was born in 1974 in Girvan, a small town on the Ayrshire coast of Scotland. He is the author of many plays including Decky Does A Bronco, Our Bad Magnet, Helmet, Variety, If Destroyed True, Mancub and Melody, all of which are published by Oberon Books. As a teacher, he has taught people of all ages and abilities, from school children in Britain and Russia (primarily through the Traverse Theatre's Class Act project) through to major universities both here and abroad.  He has also taught at many writers groups and courses, which he has created and ran. He has also worked as Dramaturg with companies such as Highway Diner, Lung Ha, Giant and Random Accomplice. Douglas Maxwell was the International Festival Fellow of the Institute for Advance Studies in The Humanities, Edinburgh University from October 2002-2003. He was also The Traverse Theatre Playwright Fellow, a position that he held from November 2003 until August 2004. Douglas Maxwell was also the subject of a BBC2 Scotland Artworks documentary screened in September 2002.  

The show is 70 minutes with no intermission. The general admission tickets cost $15 and are now available online at www.ticketweb.com or by calling 212.279.4488.

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