BOLLYWOOD COMES TO THE HOLLYWOOD FRINGE

Bye Bye Bombay

For Immediate Release : May 18, 2010

After touring to New York, Mexico and across Canada, Cara Yeates is proud to present Bye Bye Bombay as part of the first Hollywood Fringe Festival.

“I went to India to write a play. I didn’t expect to start working in Bollywood” says writer and performer of Bye Bye Bombay, Cara Yeates. On her first night in Bombay, a tout scouted Cara to appear in a Bollywood film. Within weeks Cara had landed an agent, acquired a work visa and acted in a Bollywood feature. Yeates extended her one-month trip to four. During her time in India Yeates worked on a range of projects, from guest starring in a Hindi TV show shot in a castle in the desert to selling hair loss cream on the shopping channel.

Upon her return from India, Yeates launched into the creative process with renowned Australian Fringe director Jonno Katz. The two artists shaped the show through an intensive rehearsal process, described by Yeates as, “coming home, throwing some masala, chutney and ghee on my experiences and voila! Bye Bye Bombay was born.” Soon after its conception, Bye Bye Bombay hit the road touring to eight Fringe Festivals across Canada, playing to sold out houses, receiving rave reviews and “Pick of the Fringe” awards. Since the Fringe, professional venues across Canada and the world have invited Yeates to perform Bye Bye Bombay including The Shelter Theatre (San Miguel, Mexico) and the New York International Fringe Festival.

Bye Bye Bombay is the story of a troubled teen that runs away to India to spite her Indo-Canadian mother. Paralleling Yeates’ story, she plunges into Bollywood and beyond. A multimedia trip, Bye Bye Bombay incorporates a blend of fast-flashing images and sounds that draw the audience deep into the heart of India. Cara plays twelve characters in this one-woman play; this includes puppets, crafted by Yeates under the guidance of a Rajasthan puppet maker, that help narrate this tale.

Nearly three years in the making, Yeates’ worked with some fantastic artists on this project. Cutting edge Indian fusion artist Tarun (Beats without Borders, Delhi to Dublin) provided sound design. Yeates also collaborated with an eclectic crew of artists on the multimedia components of the show, including Cameron Avery(video), Sylvan Sailly (animation) and Sven Houten (photography).

Meanwhile, Yeates maintains her connection with India. Through touring, Bye Bye Bombay has raised over $6000 for Mobile Creshes. Mobile Creshes (http://www.mobilecreches.org/), an Indian NGO, provides a safe growing and learning environment for the children of migrant workers on construction sites.

Cara was recently awarded the first ever Joanna Maratta award for artistic achievement. She has toured four solo shows (two of which she wrote) to such respected venues as Uno Festival, Summerworks, UNLV and Fanatic Salon (LA). This summer Yeates will be touring National slam poetry champion Brendan McLeod’s The Big Oops directed by Fringe legend TJ Dawe.

Bye Bye Bombay at the Hollywood Fringe
(60 mins, Tickets $12 www.hollywood fringe.org)

Theatre Asylum (6320 Santa Monica Blvd)
June 19 @ 7pm, June 22 @ 7 PM, June 23 @ 4 PM, June 25 @11:30 PM, June 26 @ 1 PM,
Fringe Central – Theatre Of Arts Arena Stage (1625 North Las Palmas)
June 26 @ 9:30 PM
www.carayeates.com

Media Contact: Cara Yeates (778)889-4415 [email protected]