CURE THE GAY? NO WAY! NOT IN THIS NEW PLAY

CONVERTED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Los Angeles, CA, May 24, 2018

CONVERTED
A queer, original, one-act comedy.

Emerging queer artist William Tolan Lawrence sheds a light on the absurdity surrounding the controversial practice of Conversion Therapy in his new play premiering at the Hollywood Fringe Festival this June.

CONVERTED follows the story of Matt and Zeke, two boys who are caught having sex while attending a gay Conversion Therapy retreat in southern Ohio. Repulsed by the boldness of their actions, the eccentric leader of the retreat, Brother Mike, decides to perform an exorcism on Matt in order to free him from the gay demon possessing his soul. Through a series of exercises, all of which have been found to be actual methods used in Conversion Therapy, Brother Mike and his partner, Sister Constance, attempt to convert the boys to a heterosexual lifestyle, thus saving them from eternal damnation.

CONVERTED uses queer aesthetics and humor to examine a process that has been used to abuse members of the LGBTQ community for years. Currently, there are only eleven states in the U.S. with laws prohibiting this sort of unethical treatment of queer people. CONVERTED seeks to bring awareness to the cause, while still empowering LGBTQ narratives.

CONVERTED opens at the LGBT Center (N. McCadden Place) on June 2, as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival. CONVERTED will be presented eight times, with single showings on June 2, 7, 11 & 13, and double showings on June 9 & 17. Recommended for mature audiences only.

Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased through the Hollywood Fringe website (http://hff18.org/5291), or on the day of the show at the LGBT Center Box Office. Discount codes available, comp tickets offered for members of the press.

Social Media:
Instagram: convertedhff
Facebook: www.facebook.com/convertedhff

Summary

Performances:
June 2, 5:30 PM
June 7, 6:30 PM
June 9, 6:00 PM & 7:00 PM
June 11, 7:30 PM
June 13, 7:30 PM
June 17, 4:00 PM & 5:00 PM

Performance Duration: 45 Minutes
Ticket Price: $10.00
Website: http://hff18.org/5291

CONVERTED

Written & Directed by William Tolan Lawrence
Assistant Directed by Isabella Boose

Produced by the LGBT Center Fringe Team & Leysan Timirboulatova

Featuring Matt Kelly, Chris Crema, Henita Telo, Danny Cron & Josh Rivas.

Costume Design by Sydney McDonald

Contact:
William Lawrence
[email protected]