DROWNING OPHELIA to Give Back During Suicide Prevention Week at Philly Fringe

Ensemble Atria & EagerRisk Theater present Drowning Ophelia, a 2016 Philadelphia Fringe Festival Production, By Rachel Luann Strayer, Directed by Daniel Roberts, the show runs for 10 performances only, September 10-13 at The Iron Factory, 118 Fontain Street, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19122. For more information, visit www.DrowningOpheliaPlay.com.

Some memories can't be washed away...

Jane doesn't know what to do with the literary character who has taken up residence in her bathtub. She doesn't want Ophelia interrupting the obsessive order of her life with obnoxious songs about death and valentines. She doesn't want Ophelia disrupting her relationship with Edmund, the oddly charming actor who might show up for dinner in a suit...of armor. And she most definitely doesn't want Ophelia stirring up memories of a brother she would rather forget. But Ophelia doesn't care about what Jane wants so much as what she needs. As Jane's past intrudes dangerously on her present, it becomes clear that Ophelia is not simply a character from Hamlet, but a long-forgotten messenger with a question from Jane's own troubled mind: How do you move on when reconciliation is not an option?

EagerRisk Theater and Ensemble Atria pride themselves on giving back to the community. Tackling difficult subjects and shining light on issues mirrored in not only Shakespeare's classics, but modern life, EagerRisk Theater and Ensemble Atria have moved to engage with audiences and provide a shoulder to lean on.

In Honor of Suicide Prevention week, Drowning Ophelia will be donating a portion of the collected tickets sales from the September 10th & 11th performances to www.imalive.org.

A project three years in the making, this stunning and humble piece of magical realism brings together the producing talents of Victoria Rae Sook's Ensemble Atria, and Annie R. Such's EagerRisk Theater to embark on the first stage of Drowning Ophelia's journey: A Philly Fringe Production.

Producer Annie R. Such is honored to once again work with director Daniel Roberts having had the privilege to work under him as a writer with her piece Bunny and Hero's Walk Home as well as an actor in The Poetic's Romeo and Juliet.

In Daniel Robert's hands, Annie again works with the brilliant Erik Endsley (Nu.ance Theatre'sTalk to Me Like the Rain, Antigone), who's been described as bringing "pathos and beautifully etched subtext" to his characters. A Philadelphia actor, Erik and Annie both attended the University of the Arts together, and Erik had appeared in Flashpoint's Slip/Shot and REV Theatre's Carthaginians, before moving on to NYC to continue his studies at John DeSotelle Studio.

Under EagerRisk and Ensemble Atria, MITF Best Actress Winner Victoria Rae Sook juggles roles as both actor, portraying the title character of Ophelia, and producer. The talented Levi Morger tackles the complex role of Adam, Jane's brother.

Show runs appx. 75 minutes. Tickets are $15-$20. Portion of ticket sales on Sept. 10 & 11 shows are donated to www.imalive.org. Discounts available for groups of 5 or more, email eagerisktheater@gmail.com for more information. Tickets available online at fringearts.com/event/drowning-ophelia-10.