FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Junk Girls

LOS ANGELES, Calif.— As the Biden Administration closes the final door on the nearly two decades long War on Afghanistan in the Middle East the Los Feliz Theatre Company presents Junk Girls in its world premier performance. A heart-wrenching story about the horrors of war, the terrible beauty of love and the loneliness of being lost forever.

The story focuses on three young women: a Jewish punk-rock connoisseur from Michigan, an African-American combat photojournalist from Brooklyn, and a US Army casualty notification officer from Illinois— who become stranded by a snowstorm in small-town Minnesota at the beginning of the bloodiest year of the war in Iraq. What follows is an earnest and daring look at the raw humanity that is left vulnerable in American soldiers – both domestic and abroad – as well as the ones left at home forced to endure the disorienting wreckage of war. With a final scene that will move you to your core with heartbreaking impact.

This production originated from the mind of Illinois playwright Mark Mason. Mason has worked in theatre for thirteen years and has had productions of his work in Chicago, Los Angeles and his hometown of Joliet, Illinois. In 2013 Mason’s playscript of Junk Girls was selected as runner up in Red Theatre Chicago’s New Play contest.

The cast and crew are Los Angeles-based film, television & theatre professionals with vast training and diverse backgrounds. Notable television appearances include: Dueal Andrews (Anthony) on Amazon Prime’s Cheetah in August and the popular original drama series The Number Reboot; Ashleigh Morghan (Renee) is currently recurring on Tyler Perry’s Ruthless on BET/BET Plus.

In a first time producing role, Producer-Actress Brie Carter (Renee) was a First Year Fringe Scholarship winner and previously featured in Showtime’s “Shameless”, Hulu’s “Marvel’s Runaways” and “Little Fires Everywhere”, and FX’s “American Horror Story: 1984”.

Featuring multi-talented leading roles – Sara Bess Newman (Smitty/Scottie) who sang with Faith Soloway and Friends at the Largo, and is the founder of The LA Tooth Fairy. Classically and internationally trained Adrianna Gentile (Misty) who won Best Actress in the Wild Bunch Film Festival. Helen Allemano (Jackie/Misty) has performed in the UK, France, Australia, Shanghai and Los Angeles. Syd Skidmore (Smitty) a former USC BFA Acting student. Justyn Williams (Mike) an improv trained indie-actor who volunteers with the arts education non-profit Young Storytellers.

Up-and-coming talent to watch for include Rene Leech (Scottie) theatrically trained at Marquette University and Kathleen Jarvis (Beth/Jackie) a recent graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Director Alexandra Leigh, as a US Marine Corps Veteran – who joined fresh out of High School – made clear her own direct connection with the play saying, “War is often such a distant thing for Americans that we can compartmentalism it. It doesn’t happen here and therefore maybe it’s not really happening anywhere. But the human toll is real.” The goal of introducing this vital production in its completion is for the audience to feel that toll, the weighty effect and legacy of loss.

Join us as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival at the Zephyr Theatre. Junk Girls opens with previews on August 5 @ 6:45pm (with a virtual performance option) & August 7 @ 2:15pm. Official performances on Saturday August 14 2021 @ 6:15 PM (virtual performance option), Wednesday August 18 @ 8:45 PM, Thursday August 26 @ 8:45 PM, and Saturday August 28 @ 5:30 PM (virtual performance option). Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through HollywoodFringe.org. The Zephyr Theatre’s address at 7456 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046. For more information go to www.losfeliztheatreco.com/junk-girls.