Doug DeVita Presents THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW as Radio Play

Doug DeVita's witty exploration of homophobia and ageism in the ad world becomes a radio play. Premiering in March. Visit freshfruitfestival.com for details.

Doug DeVita's fast-paced comedy, The Fierce Urgency of Now, has multiple lives across the country. A regional favorite for some time, the play has been turned into a screenplay and is currently in development as a motion picture. In the meantime, playwright/screenwriter Doug DeVita has reworked the piece into a joyous radio-style play. Fierce follows art director Kyle as he tries to discover his real self amid the power struggles and skewed priorities of a New York ad agency. After an office restructuring puts him in a new creative group run by a homophobic manager, he finds an unlikely ally in copywriter Dodo, a living-legend from the era of "Mad Men," who not-so-gently prods Kyle to the realization that "It's time to take off. And soar." DeVita's own experience in the ad world coupled with his trademark caustic wit makes this play an hilarious parable exposing longtime homophobia and ageism.

Fierce is the recipient of the Fresh Fruit Festival's Outstanding Play and Outstanding Production awards; one of the top recommended Full-Length Plays on New Play Exchange; and publishing by Smith Scripts UK.

The radio play is distinguished by appearance by members from various other DeVita works. Dennis Corsi, director of the Fresh Fruit Festival 2016 production, earning him the Outstanding Production award for his direction, returns to direct a cast that includes Matthew Jellison from the NYC 2016 production; Lisa Viertel and Laura Crouch from the Seattle 2014 production; as well as Joe Moe, the star of the independent film, NIGEL: guys & dolls, DeVita's first foray into turning his plays into films. The radio production is produced by DeVita and Jay Michaels, promotional manager on DeVita's works and director/producer of NIGEL.

COMPANY:

Laura Crouch: A Seattle area actor with credits in Moliere, Sartre, and Shakespeare with the Seattle Shakespeare Co. "a joyous occasion to be able to revisit an old friend. It's lovely to have Dodo back in her life. Thank you, Doug, for this opportunity", she says of returning to the role of Dodo.

Matthew Jellison is an actor, playwright, and educator. As an actor, Matthew has worked at Ensemble Studio Theater, New York Theater Workshop, and others. He is excited to return to the role of Kyle, after originating the part in the 2016 Fresh Fruit Festival production. Matthew currently serves as Senior Curriculum Manager and Instructor at Writopia Lab, a literacy nonprofit, helping youths develop original writing.

Joe Moe appeared in the title role of Nigel in NIGEL: guys & dolls, a dark film written by Doug DeVita. As a voice actor: The Brave Little Toaster, The Book of Pooh, (Disney) House of Blood with Malcolm McDowell (Fangoria). Joe art directed the feature film Red Velvet and a David Lynch Coffee commercial. He will direct the feature film Sere in April 2021.

Brittane Rowe, a newbie to DeVita productions, is thrilled to join the company. She is a former member of The Bats Acting Company at The Flea Theatre appearing in Take Care, A 24 Decade History of Pop Music, and The Mysteries. Other credits: Exposed Bone (The PIT); American Mill (A.R.T NY); I'll Never Love Again (Bushwick Starr); and The Christians (Playwrights Horizons.)

Lisa Viertel is excited to return the role of Kate after playing her in the Seattle premiere, Lisa has worked in the Pacific Northwest with companies including Ashland New Plays Festival, Washington Ensemble Theatre, Book-it Repertory Theater, Sandbox Radio, The Endangered Species Project, Harlequin Productions, Annex Theatre, Pony World Theater, Theatre22, and others.

Dennis Corsi: Artistic Director, Fresh Fruit Festival; Director of New Works, Live & In Color; Creative Director, Script Match; Video Director, B • OUT, an LGBTQ media company; and a dramaturg for NYMF.

Jay Michaels is a stage/film producer/director; promotional entrepreneur & college professor. His productions have appeared off & on Broadway; regionally and nationally. He also produced several independent films (including NIGEL by Doug DeVita). He is executive director of Jay Michaels Communications and Channel I producing and promoting independent theater and film and has hosted numerous TV programs.

Doug DeVita: O'Neil Semi-Finalist ("Just A Rumor"); Semi-Finalist for Barrington Stage Company's Burman New Play Award ("Phillie's Trilogy"), Semi-Finalist for B Street Theatre's New Comedy Festival ("Goddess Of The Hunt" and "Upper Division"), and Semi-Finalist for We Screenplay's Diversity Competition ("The Fierce Urgency Of Now"). Winner: Fresh Fruit Awards of Distinction for Outstanding Play ("The Fierce Urgency Of Now") and Outstanding Production ("Fierce..." and "Phillie's Trilogy.")

Established in 1991, All Out Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit devoted to bringing together the diverse artistic, organizational, political and financial resources of the LGBTQ community in order to fight intolerance. All Out Arts fulfills its mission by supporting artists within the community through fiscal sponsorship, events, contests, collaborations, networking events for emerging artists, and by sponsoring productions, concerts and exhibitions of visual arts, and the Fresh Fruit Festival is the primary expression of that mission. The Fresh Fruit Festival is presented by All Out Arts to celebrate the LGBTQ community's unique perspective, creativity & diversity, and to build links between the LGBTQ artistic communities, be they local or international. Fresh Fruit Festival was the creation of two long established LGBT community arts groups established in 1989: New Village Productions, and All Out Arts (which initiated the national Out Music collective of LGBT musicians and Composers). Ancillary programs include our OutWords series of panels, and events for LGBT authors, a regular Slam LGBT Poetry event, and OutWright, our Developmental Reading Series for playwrights. To this day, our motto remains: Fighting Prejudice Through The Arts.