Goldart Productions Presents WILHELMSTRASSE At FringeNYC

Goldart Productions will present WILHELMSTRASSE as part of the 15th annual New York International Fringe Festival - FringeNYC. Written by Stuart Caldwell and directed by Andrew Block, WILHELMSTRASSE is making its World premiere after an Equity-staged reading by Vital Theatre Company. Ticket prices range from $15 to $18. For reservations visit www.FringeNYC.org.

WILHELMSTRASSE traces the relationship between Rica, a beautiful German girl and Samuel, a sarcastic New York Jew, after their year-long acquaintance as students in New York. In the three years since, she has moved back to Germany to pursue her law career and he, remaining in New York, has taken a position with a Foundation that repatriates stolen art from World War II. An exploratory mission to Austria has brought them together again in Berlin touring the historic city. But something has occurred on Samuel's trip and the visit, originally longed-for by both, has been altered radically. Now compelled to see the notorious Nazi sights across the city, the play progresses with scenes at prominent Berlin locations. Probing art, love and the struggle ! to comprehend and escape the Holocaust's enduring stigma, the play is part travelogue and polemic on identity, religion and the Past's binding ties.

Stuart Caldwell (Playwright) wrote the majority of Wilhelmstrasse, selected for the 2011 The New York International Fringe Festival - FringeNYC, over the period between 2004 - 2008. It had an Equity-staged reading at Vital Theatre Company in 2009. Previous productions of plays by Mr. Caldwell include THE ABC OF SELLING (2000), a two-act play about a "one night stand" produced by The Sage Theatre Company and FREEZE, a one-act comedy on International relations produced by Horse Trader Theatre Group. Other plays by Mr. Caldwell include SMALL FAVORS (2010), a full-length drama that depicts the irrevocable consequences of a youthful prank gone horribly wrong, LATE MOVEMENT (2007), a one-act dr! ama revolving around a man meeting his dead father's baseball hero in seedy New York bar one rainy day, THE LAST BLOCK LETTER (2002), a full-length play about father and son writers suffering debilitating cases of writer's block, and a screenplay A Tribute to Eli (2008), a comedy about the trials of getting a script produced in Hollywood. Mr. Caldwell has an undergraduate degree from Tulane University and an MBA from New York University.

Giordona Aviv (Rica) originally hails from Podgorica, Montenegro where she attended the prestigious Academy of Dramatic Arts. At the Academy she undertook extensive training in several acting techniques including the Stanislavsky's System, Antonin Artaud's nihilistic concept of theater, the Epic Theatre of Bertolt Brecht as well as other styles and genres. Giordona has appeared in over 20 Theater Productions ranging from SEXUAL PERVERSITIES IN CHICAGO by D. Mamet to THE CHERRY ORCHARD by A. Chekhov. At 20, she hosted a morning live talk show on the prominent European TV station, Pink TV. In addition, Giordona is an award winning screenwriter where in 2004, she won her native country's top literary honor! for her original screenplay, "The Taxi Ride". Giordona lives in New York City where she is successfully following her dreams in both film and theater.

Nick Masson (Samuel) is very excited to be a part of this production of WILHELMSTRASSE at FringeNYC. Originally from NYC, it was almost 13 years ago he began his performing career here in the city just down the street from LaMama here on East 4th at the original home of Downtown Art. He received his BA in Theatre from The College of Santa Fe in New Mexico. Nick just returned home from West Virgina after performing both John Brooke in LITTLE WOMEN and RING OF FIRE at The Greenbrier VAlley Theatre. Some favorite roles include: Orin, et al in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Porchlight Productions), Costard in LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST (Drilling Company's Shakespeare in the Parking Lot), Rick in SIX D! EGREES OF SEPARATION (Hampton Theatre Company), and Bob Cratchit in A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Nebraska Theatre Caravan's National Tour). With love for my Boodge, the cows, Mom, Joe and "The Back Row." Proud member AEA. "I marvel at the resilience of the Jewish people. Their best characteristic is their desire to remember. No other people has such an obsession with memory." - Elie Weisel

The New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) is the largest multi-arts festival in North America, with more than 200 companies from all over the world performing for 16 days in more than 20 venues. In addition to 1,200 incredible performances, FringeNYC includes FringeU, FringeJR FringeHIGH FringeAL FRESCO FringeART FringeCLUB. FringeNYC will celebrate its 15th
Anni! versary August 12th - 28th, 2011.

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