I WANT A COUNTRY Opens At FringeNYC On Today

I Want a Country written by Greek Playwright Andreas Flourakis and translated by Eleni Drivas, will open at The New York International Fringe Festival on Saturday, October 20. The International production runs for four performances between October 20 - 27 and address's timely topics such as immigration, race, financial security, human rights, and living in a country that cares about its citizens and doesn't discriminate.

The production is directed by Lyto Triantafyllidou and produced by HDGP Productions and The Greek Cultural Center with Eleni Drivas serving as lead producer.

Written in 2013 in an unconventional chorus inspired structure, I Want a Country advocates for social change when a group of disillusioned individuals embark on a search for a "new" and "improved" country. But is this a search for a new country or a game of rhetoric? Can they create a ¨perfect" country? Can a society reinvent itself? Or will the ideal country remain a utopia?

I Want A Country, is a theater performance where the characters have lost their country - in a geographical and/or ideological way. Believing there is no escape from their current state, they map their time ahead declaring a New Country. Their inability of reaching a consensus on a variety of issues begs the questions: Have we reached a political turning point? Can democracy be enough?

The diverse cast of eight features Jessy Donn (Sophomore NYU Gallatin), Joy Donze (13 and Not Pregnant - Winner Best Comedy/United Solo 2017), Sarah Folkins (Cosi Fan Tutte/The Metropolitan Opera), Alexandra Gellner (Julius Caesar/The Brick), Lamin Leroy Gibba (Dust to Dust/FringeNYC 2016), Kevin Gonzalez (Your Ad Here/Web Series), Olivia Konteatis (Fun Home/NYU Tisch), and Simon Winheld (Pete Rex/59E59).

In keeping with the festival spirit, this year, all audience members will meet at The FringeHUB - Orange Flag, 685 Washington Street (Between Charles & Perry) and will be walked to the theatre by a Fringe Ambassador. All theatres are within 3 blocks of The FringeHUB. Audience members are encouraged to arrive at The FringeHUB 15 minutes before the performance.

Tickets are $22 and are available at https://bit.ly/1jeNx8n. Running time: 1:15.

Performance dates:
Saturday, October 20 @ 4:00 pm
Sunday, October 21 @ 8:15 pm
Thursday, October 25 @ 7:15 pm
Saturday, October 27 @ 4:15 pm

More info is available at www.iwantacountry.net and www.fringenyc.org.

I Want a Country was first produced in June 2013 at Royal Court Theatre, Upstairs (London). Other notable performances include the production of the play at Athens and Epidaurus Festival (2015). Since then, I Want a Country has been produced in different festivals and platforms in Greece, Europe and the United States. Its New York Premier is produced by HDGP productions, a newly founded company with the purpose of producing transnational work, bridging the cultural gap between the continents. HDGP mission is to develop and bring historically charged and socially relevant writing to the stage and to a multicultural audience.

Andreas Flourakis is considered one of the most innovative voices in the Greek theatre scene and part of a new generation of playwrights born in the 1969 in Athens. Flourakis participated in the Royal Court International Residency in 2001, served as visiting professor on Playwriting at The University of Kansas and several institutions in Greece as well. Honors include a Writer in Residence Award at the Royal Court International Residency (UK), a Fulbright Artist Award (USA), a Diploma of Filmmaking (Greece) and a MA in Writing for the Stage and Broadcast Media at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (UK). In theatre he makes his first appearance in 2001 with the collaborative play Faith (Theatre of the South). In 2003 he is received special distinction in the one-act play contest organized by the Art Theatre Karolos Koun, in 2006 his play ANTILOPES is chosen at the JANUS Project for New Plays and New Playwriting across Europe.

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