ACCLAIMED DRAMA "FRIENDS LIKE THESE" RETURNS TO FRINGE!

Gregory Crafts’ powerful exploration of teen violence returns to mark the anniversary of the Columbine Massacre and to honor survivors of other school shootings.

The cast of "Friends Like These" by Gregory Crafts

LOS ANGELES – After playing to sell-out crowds in both L.A. and New York, critical endorsements from local press and nominations in multiple theatrical awards, the acclaimed and heavy-hitting drama Friends Like These is coming back to the Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Garrett is an outsider with a secret. Constantly tortured in school and relegated to the social fringe, he just tries to get through each day as best as possible. The only bright spots in his life are his two friends, Bryan and Diz, and the place they all share: a wondrous game world called Haven. All of this changes, however, when he’s noticed by the most popular cheerleader in school. Suddenly, things start to look up! He’s in love, finding confidence and enjoying his daily life for the first time… until past decisions come back to haunt him. Harassed by Nicole’s angry ex-boyfriend, and forced to deal with his best friend Diz’s jealousy and suspicion, Garrett’s life will never be the same.

“I wanted to bring Friends Like These back to the Fringe this year because, in light of events like Sandy Hook, or even the recent fatal stabbing of a student in Milford, the story of the play is tragically still very relevant to our society,” Crafts said. “This year also marks the 15th anniversary of the Columbine Massacre, which was a major inspiration for the play. I would love to mount a production of this show one day where we as a society can watch it and look back at how violent and horrible we ‘used to’ be to each other. Maybe, in some sort of ideal world, that could be the case.”

Friends Like These features a brand new cast and is being helmed by Wendy Gough Soroka, who received critical acclaim with her 2012 Hollywood Fringe show The Divine Madness of Isabella. The show, which is being co-produced with Mad Magpie, pairs up with TU’s other entry into this year’s Hollywood Fringe, the wildly popular 25 Plays Per Hour, which, this year, will feature a new cast performing some of the best pieces of the past four years.

For more information on both shows, check out www.theatreunleashed.com or http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/1594 for Friends Like These and http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/1595 for The Best of 25 Plays Per Hour.