FRINGE AWARD-WINNER RETURNS WITH WORLD PREMIERE DARK COMEDY, "THE WAKE"

The Wake

For Immediate Release

World Premiere Dark Comedy THE WAKE Premieres at 2014 Hollywood Fringe
Fringe Fest Award-Winner Moroski Takes Love As Low As It Can Go – Six Feet Under

Los Angeles (May 2, 2014) – Love and loss nearly always intertwine, but never as closely as when you discover your one true love is a dead body. Pete’s girlfriend dumped him two months ago. He still can’t figure out how to move on without her, until a chance encounter at a late-night party puts him on a collision course with love like he’s never known it before.

A candid dark comedy about learning which things (and people) to bury, The Wake is the brand new world premiere solo show from acclaimed writer/performer Ben Moroski, the creator of the award-winning Hollywood Fringe hit This Vicious Minute, which chronicled his battled with self-injury. Moroski has written six full-length plays, including The Wake, This Vicious Minute, and the commissioned hit, The Breedless Kitsch, among others. Currently appearing in Chance Theater’s production of Sarah Ruhl’s Passion Play, he also starred in Sacramento and Los Angeles runs of This Vicious Minute following its success at the Hollywood Fringe Festival 2012. Reviews of This Vicious Minute have stated of Moroski:

“He’s got an incredible accessibility as performer, a naked honesty that’s not threatening or confrontational, even when it’s in your face”
~ Backstage West

“[He] commands the audience…flowing easily from joke to dramatic observation to horrific reality check”
~ Sacramento News & Review

“[His] intensity enlivened all my senses” ~ Gia On The Move

Nominee – Best One Person Show – Hollywood Fringe Festival 2012
Winner – “Best of Fringe” Extension – Hollywood Fringe Festival 2012
Winner – Inaugural Ezra Buzzington “I Am Fringe” Award – Hollywood Fringe Festival 2012 (now the Ezra Buzzington “Spirit of the Fringe” Award)

The Wake is directed by Nick Massouh, a director, actor, and improviser. Nick is a founding company member of the award winning Blue House Theatre Company, where he directed multiple plays, including the west coast premiere of Need and Sam Shepard’s Angel City, produced at a pop up warehouse theatre. Nick is also a founding company member with the critically acclaimed Impro Theatre. Impro Theatre performs full length plays completely improvised in various genres, where the improviser not only acts, but writes and directs in the moment. Their next run will be Western UnScripted in the style of John Ford at the Falcon Theatre this September. Nick is the Dean of The Impro Theatre Conservatory, L.A.’s first improv conservatory, teaching all facets of improvising narratives. Nick is overjoyed to be working with the talented Ben Moroski again. They collaborated on This Vicious Minute for its award-winning world premiere at the 2012 Hollywood Fringe Festival, as well as the subsequent 2013 runs in Los Angeles and Sacramento.

The Wake will make its world premiere as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival 2014. The run begins with a preview performance, Monday, June 9 at 10 p.m. followed by five festival performances: June 12 at 5:30 p.m.; June 14 at 10 p.m.; June 19 at 5:30 p.m.; June 23 at 10 p.m.; and June 28 at 10 p.m. All shows will be performed at the Elephant Studio Theatre, 1078 Lillian Way, Los Angeles, CA 90038. Tickets are $10 general admission, available for purchase online at www.hff14.org/1637 or at the door (cash only). Advance purchase is highly recommended.

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