WORLD PREMIERE OF HELMET HEART. A STORY ABOUT LOVE'S HARD KNOCKS.
Helmet Heart
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Hollywood, CA (June 2015) — What is love? Do we have soulmates? Is a woman really more likely to be killed by a terrorist than marry after 40?! Why is Cupid such an asshole? Award-winning writer Kathy Fischer explores love from all angles in HELMET HEART, a hilarious multimedia comedy that will change the way you think about love.
The production will be presented at the Ruby Theater at The Complex located at 6476 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood, CA, 90038 with a preview on June 5 at 7:00 pm and shows on June 14 at 4:30 pm, June 15 at 9:00 pm, June 21 at 4:45pm and June 27 at 2:30 pm.
HELMET HEART is a comedic one-act play centering on Addie Ranger who is emotionally side-swiped when her husband asks for a divorce as well as for the wedding ring back. After all, it’s been in his family for five generations. In protest, Addie swallows the ring, causing her to choke and blackout. While unconscious, we travel into Addie’s mind where she goes head-to-heart with Cupid. Claiming to be done with love, Addie sets out to end Cupid’s life. While plotting his demise, Addie realizes that there are other influential voices sounding off in her head. Maybe it’s not all Cupid’s fault that her love life is in the toilet? Will Addie awaken from the blackout bitter and done with love or will she spare the little guy and awaken with a renewed hope that true love is still possible?
Kathy Fischer, writer and producer, says that June is the perfect month for her comedy about love’s hard knocks HELMET HEART to hit the stage for it’s world premiere. “Everyone’s familiar with June being a popular month for weddings, but a lesser known fact is that it’s also a popular month for divorce. Apparently couples like to wait until their kids are done with school before they pull the plug on a fizzling marriage.” A request for divorce kicks off the action in Helmet Heart and leads the main character into an exploration into how love can go so wrong. “The play was inspired by my own crazy journey to find love. Using movies as a road map, listening to people’s well-intended advice, making a laundry list of “must haves” in a mate, all lead me to a lot of heartache. It took me a long time to realize that much of what I thought was love was really just a bunch of hooey. I needed to stop thinking about what love was and begin feeling my way to it. That’s why it took me until I was 45 to finally find it!” And she seems to have found the perfect match in Rees Pugh who is directing HELMET HEART. “Rees has been involved in theater a lot longer than I have. He’s an actor, set builder, prop master and a director. He’s also my husband, my proofreader, laugh-meter and therapist!”
In the spirit of the Fringe, Fischer and Pugh are doing it all. Along with writing, Fischer will handle producing and promotions, while Pugh will direct and handle props. Pugh says, “I think what Fringe really means is pushing yourself outside “the fringes” of your comfort zone, to make you grow as an artist.” And in this case, to also create a stronger partnership between spouses.
Helmet Heart marks Fischer’s second Los Angeles World Premiere in six months, having had her comedy play CLEAN START finish a successful run at CASA 0101 Theater in February. Fischer says, “I’ve written many scripts for television and film, but Helmet Heart is the second play I’ve written. Clean Start was my first and after its success, I’ve been bitten by the theater bug. There’s no better way to dive deep into the LA theater community than to join the craziness of the Fringe.”
The multimedia comedy stars Kim Chase (Seinfeld) as the recently dumped Addie Ranger, George Caleodis (Big Love) as the tattered Cupid, Paul Nygro (on film only, Paul Bart: Mall Cop 2) as Addie’s soon-to-be-ex husband, Todd Aaron Brotze (The Office) as Addie’s therapist Dr. Hummel, Jeanette O’Connor (Two and a Half Men) as Addie’s guilt-inflicting Mother, Maria Russell (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as Addie’s love guru friend Krissy, and Corina Boettger (Glee) as Addie’s teenage, darker self — which is when all of Addie’s love life troubles first began.
Tickets for HELMET HEART are $10.00 and can be purchased at ww.hhf15.org/2441
Advanced tickets are highly recommended as The Ruby is a 55 seat theater.
This show is recommended for all audiences.
Visit and “like” www.facebook.com/helmetheart to be eligible for discount codes.
Preview
Friday, June 5 at 7:00 pm. Valet parking available.
Shows are:
Sunday, June 14 at 4:30pm
Monday, June 15 at 9:00pm
Sunday, June 21 at 4:45
Saturday, June 27th at 2:30
The Ruby Theater at The Complex
6476 Santa Monica Blvd,
Hollywood, CA 90038
About the Playwright:
Kathy Fischer (Playwright and Producer) is the first recipient of the prestigious David and Lynn Angell Humanitas Fellowship for Television Comedy Writing. Fischer worked as a staff writer on The George Lopez Show, wrote for ABC Family’s Just a Phase, and worked as a consulting producer on Whatever, Martha! Fischer was chosen as a Writer’s Guild of America Writer Access Project Honoree for her television comedy writing. In addition to television, Fischer also penned feature films for Walt Disney Pictures and various independent production companies. Her first play, Clean Start, finished a successful run this January/February at Casa 0101 Theater. HELMET HEART is her second play.
About the Cast:
Kim Chase (ADDIE RANGER) has TV highlights that include Weeds, Danni Lowinski, The Forgotten, Eleventh Hour, The Guardian, Seinfeld, Days of Our Lives and Evening Shade. Film Highlights: Starring opposite Dom DeLuise in It’s All About You, John Savage in The Killing Obsession, The Last Producer opposite Benjamin Bratt, in Raven opposite Burt Reynolds. Kim has performed in 6 USO Tours overseas entertaining the troops.
Robbie Rittman (CUPID) is thrilled to be with such a lovely cast of individuals!Recently sang at Jazz at Lincoln Center with award-winning Vocal Jazz Ensemble 1.At UCLA filmmaking institute,he was selected to write,direct,star in his award-winning short film,Missionaries on a Mission.He is a senior at Indiana University,studying Telecommunications,and is a president of HoosOnFirst Improv Comedy.
Corina Boettger (DARKSIDE) started acting when she was 5 years old doing children’s theatre in Seattle and was in her first professional show when she was 8. When she was 17 she moved to Los Angeles and has been seen on My Name is Earl, Shameless, and Glee. She has also recently done voice over for video games such as Folk Tale. This is Corina’s first time being involved with the Fringe Festival and she is very excited to be apart of this show and company.
Todd Aaron Brotze (DR. HUMMEL) is a relatively recent transplant to LA from San Francisco, where he acted in new plays at various small theaters, and regularly performed, produced & directed for SF’s top sketch comedy troupe, Killing My Lobster. In LA, Todd has appeared on The Office, voiced eccentric characters in commercials, and played a quirky scientist in Flummox & Friends, a web series helping kids who struggle with everyday social interactions. He is a graduate of Northwestern University (B.S. Mechanical Engineering), and is excited to be in his first Hollywood Fringe Festival performance with Helmet Heart.
Jeanette O’Connor (ADDIE’S MOTHER) has credit that include lead roles in the indie films The Broome St. Boys, Awaken, The Fix, Audrey and Silverlake Video: The Movie. She played a recurring role on Ray Donovan as well as guest star roles on Criminal Minds, Young & Restless, Two and a Half Men, The New Adventures of Old Christine, iCarly, The Protector, Huge, Party Down, Brothers & Sisters, The Riches, and Sarah Connor Chronicles just to name a few. She recently co-produced a short film entitled, Infinity, starring TV’s Xena star, Renee O’Connor (no relation). She also produces a weekly actor’s workshop at The Seenwork Company in NOHO
Paul Nygro (NICK RANGER) has movie highlights that include Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, You Again, Race to Witch Mountain, What We Do Is Secret. He’s also been seen on television in Young & Restless, Buffy The Vampire Slyer, Eli Stone. On the web in Internet Icon 1 & 2, Acting Dead, McCracken Live. Lovin’ Lakin. And even on Broadway in SISTER ACT 1st National Tour, FIRST WIVES CLUB Pre-Broadway Chicago Premiere Original Cast, REEFER MADNESS Original Cast – L.A.& NYC.
Maria Russell (KRISSY) has played memorable characters in shows including Trophy Wife, Southland, Suburgatory, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and The Riches. She wrapped her 3rd season on TBS hit show Deal With It alongside Howie Mandel. Look for Maria in Amazon’s, You’ll Be Fine, and in movie theaters in the thriller, Fire City, and San Patricios, starring Beau Bridges, Kris Kristofferson.
