“CHEMO BARBIE” PREMIERES AT HOLLYWOOD FRINGE!

Chemo Barbie: My Lady Bits' Journey Through Breast Cancer.

“Chemo Barbie” premieres at Hollywood Fringe!

Just three months removed from treatment, artist Heather Keller shares the remarkable, heartbreaking and even comical story of her journey through breast cancer in a solo show.

LOS ANGELES – In 2016, Heather Keller’s world was rocked by a breast cancer diagnosis. Overnight, she went from being a healthy, vegan runner to a cancer patient and since then her life has been and continues to be an inspiring journey of growth filled with love, friendships, disappointments, betrayals and yes, even some humor.

Keller shares this experience in her solo show Chemo Barbie: My Lady Bits’ Journey Through Breast Cancer, making its world premiere at Asylum @Studio C in June as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Chemo Barbie is an inspiring story told with painful honesty, comedic charm and tear-jerking dignity that takes you into the mind of a cancer patient from diagnosis to treatment. Keller shows what a patient goes through from doctor meetings, testing, treatments and people’s reactions around them. It shows the strength and support that develops with some friends and family while others shy away or leave altogether. Crafted from Heather’s hand written journals, videos, texts, emails, storytelling and an online chronicling of her experience, Chemo Barbie is a show spoken and performed from the heart that tells the gritty, funny, heartbreaking and uplifting journey of a young woman conquering cancer while living life as normal as possible.

“When I was diagnosed, I had insane decisions to make, difficult things to chose,” Keller said. “I survived and I’m trying to do something positive from a negative. I’ve had many people come up to me after performing pieces from this show and they feel connection to the story whether it’s cancer or another tragedy that hit their family.”

Offering perspective and inspiring others is ultimately Keller’s goal with the show. The idea for a solo show came from the journals she kept during her treatment and a private online journal she shared with family and friends. Keller also recorded video of certain key moments in the process and posted it on the YouTube channel “Keep Abreast with Heather.”

A sketch writer for UCB and the Groundlings as well as an accomplished actress, Keller later performed a couple monologue’s from her experience at WeSpark Cancer Support Center, as well as other places. Soon, others were asking to hear more of her experience. Working with her director Jessica Lynn Johnson, Keller started to experience a catharsis in putting a show together based on her experience and a joy in the knowledge that it could help others.

“I’m only three months removed from treatment and my chemo port was removed on February 21,” Keller said. “I’ve been cancer free ever since. Not everyone can live to tell about their journey. It’s an honor to do this.”

Calendar Listing Request:

Chemo Barbie
Written and Performed by Heather Keller
Directed and Developed by: Jessica Lynn Johnson

SYNOPSIS:
Chemo Barbie is an inspiring story told with painful honesty, comedic charm and tear-jerking dignity that takes you into the mind of a cancer patient from diagnosis to treatment. Artist Heather Keller shows what a patient goes through from doctor meetings, testing, treatments and people’s reactions around them. It shows the strength and support that develops with some friends and family while others shy away or leave altogether. Crafted from Heather’s hand written journals, videos, texts, emails, storytelling and an online chronicling of her experience, Chemo Barbie is a show spoken and performed from the heart that tells the gritty, funny, heartbreaking and uplifting journey of a young woman conquering cancer while living life as normal as possible.

DATES AND TIMES:
Part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival
Friday, June 2 – 7 p.m.
Thursday, June 8 – 10 p.m.
Friday, June 16 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 17 – 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 24 – 1 p.m.

LOCATION:
Asylum @ Studio C
6448 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038

TICKET PRICES:
General Admission: $15
*June 17 show proceeds go to WeSpark Cancer Support Center

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/4393

PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Heather Keller
[email protected]