HartBeat Ensemble's FLIPSIDE Debuts at FringeNYC, Now thru 8/25

HartBeat Ensemble previously announced its participation in the 16th Annual New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC). FLIPSIDE, an original ensemble work developed by HartBeat Ensemble, will be performed at HERE Mainstage Theatre, 145 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY.

Written by HartBeat's co-founding artistic director Julia B. Rosenblatt, FLIPSIDE tells the story of a friendship between an urban teen who thinks he can beat the system and an undercover narcotics agent who thinks he can change the world. Derived from two years worth of personal interviews, public forums and interactive theater events, FLIPSIDE is a rich exploration of the war on drugs. It is told through multiple perspectives and uses spoken-word poetry, narrative and an original hip-hop score to depict the complexities of drug use and trafficking in our communities.

FLIPSIDE was directed by co-founding artistic director Gregory R. Tate. Tate, as he was known to most in the Ensemble's hometown of Hartford, passed away on June 3, 2012 from lung cancer. As HartBeat and Tate's friends and family mourn this recent loss, we are glad to be able to honor his legacy by bringing the work he was most proud of to New York and the New York International Fringe Festival. Tate said of FLIPSIDE, "We found that no matter what a person believes about drug use and selling, they tend to be very passionate about their feelings on the matter. Of course that makes for great theater. It can be tricky, but very fun stuff."

FLIPSIDE premiered in Hartford, CT in April 2011 to sold-out audiences. The New York premiere will feature the original ensemble, including Chinazza Uche, Brian Jennings, Cindy Martinez, Julia B. Rosenblatt and Taneisha Duggan.

FLIPSIDE was made possible through a grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Greater Hartford Arts Council United Arts campaign, the City of Hartford Arts & Heritage Jobs Grant Program, the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, the New Alliance Foundation, and the Knox Foundation.

TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets are available online at www.fringenyc.org, by calling (866) 468-7619, or in person at FringeCENTRAL located at 1 East 8th Street. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. No late seating.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE: Tonight, August 12 @ 7:00pm, Tuesday, August 14 @ 7:00pm, Thursday, August 16 @ 2:00pm (talk back 3:25pm), Friday, August 24 @ 2:30pm and Saturday, August 25 @ 10:30pm.

Founded in 2001 by Julia B. Rosenblatt, Steven Ginsburg, and Gregory R. Tate, HartBeat Ensemble has been creating original, professional theater based on stories from the community. Through Mainstage plays, Open-Air performances and Education programs. HartBeat makes theater accessible beyond the barriers of class, race or gender. Learn more about HartBeat and FLIPSIDE at www.hartbeatensemble.org.