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‘ABORTION WEEKEND’ THE CHOICE IS YOURS?

Abortion Weekend

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JAM Productions & The Broadwater present:

‘ABORTION WEEKEND’ – A New Feminist Dark Comedy Coming To The Hollywood Fringe Festival

Hollywood, CA, May 12, 2022. JAM Productions consisting of the dynamic creative duo, Jairis Carter and Mareshah Dupree, are making their Hollywood Fringe Festival debut as scholarship winners, with a production of the new feminist dark comedy “ABORTION WEEKEND.”

Written by multifaceted creatives Jairis Carter and Mareshah Dupree, “ABORTION WEEKEND” is a hilarious, honest, and heartfelt representation of the young, gifted, and black femme experience in America today. Adulthood hits preacher’s daughter Dazia (Jairis Carter) full force as she unexpectedly gets pregnant the summer before her senior year of college. Her best friend and ride or die Ayanna (Mareshah Dupree) takes it upon herself to plan a wild and crazy “Abortion Weekend” in order to terminate the pregnancy.

This two-person show is conducted as a tag team comedy show, as the audience is thrust into a world of vibrant larger than life personalities, magical happenings, and a friendship of the ages. The play is masterfully crafted with true to life vernacular, spoken word poetry, and an immersive sound and lighting design. The synergy between Jairis and Mareshah is palpable. They showcase their vulnerabilities in a way that allows for the audience to feel as if they are simply witnessing a glimpse of reality. Controversial topics such as abortion, sexuality, and religion, are explored with humor and intention. From queerness to spirituality, there is no topic left untouched in this production.

The play “ABORTION WEEKEND” will be a decade turner. It is timely, poignant, and powerful. Through expanding the minds and hearts of viewers this play will be a vehicle for healing and change. The proceeds from the ticket sales will be going towards the feature film adaptation, which will be Jairis Carter and Mareshah Dupree’s joint thesis at CalArts. “ABORTION WEEKEND” is the next cult-classic, but most importantly it is a representation of how art is imperative and integral to the movement.

Content warning: “ABORTION WEEKEND” explores themes involving violence, drugs, alcohol, sex, abortion, condoms, consent, LGBTQ+, religion, mental health, and strobe lights.
Recommended for audiences 13 years and older

WHERE: The Broadwater Second Stage, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90038

WHEN: (Preview) June 5, 2022 @ 7:30 pm; (Opening) June 11, 2022 @ 3 pm;
June 12, 2022 @ 7 pm; June 15, 2022 @ 10 pm; June 18, 2022 @ 6 pm;
June 19, 2022 @ NOON, (Closing) June 23, 2022 @ 6pm (Runtime: 60-70 minutes)

TICKETS: Price: $10.00
Ticket link: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/7359?tab=tickets
Admission age: 13+; Mature Audiences

PRODUCTION TEAM

Jairis Carter (Playwright/Director/Producer/Actor): Jairis Carter (they/them) is a non-binary black preachers kid from the West Side of Charleston West Virginia. After graduating from Berea College in Kentucky with a BA in Theatre, they went on to obtain their MFA certificate from the Art of Acting Studio Conservatory in Los Angeles, and will be receiving their MFA in Film Directing from California Institution of the Arts (CalArts). Jairis has acted, written, directed, and produced numerous waves of content. Their collection of work includes short films, a one-woman show, fictional podcasts, and more. Jairis aims to master their creative connection with the most high supreme being in the hopes of establishing numerous avenues of artistic gratefulness, change, and love.

Mareshah Dupree (Playwright/Director/Producer/Actor): Mareshah Dupree (xe/they) is a storyteller, mover-shaker, innovator, and creator. As a black queer homeschooled preacher’s kid born and raised in Sin City, Mareshah has lived a life of perpendicular lines that have intersected to create the person they have become. Xe graduated high school at 16 before going to Berea College in Kentucky to pursue a BA in English. Writer by nature and filmmaker at heart, Mareshah is a current graduate student and will be obtaining an MFA in Film Directing from CalArts. The spectrum of Mareshah’s work consists of a documentary, short films, a book of poetry, and a fictional podcast. Their purpose is to leave a meaningful and worthwhile impact by creating art that invites those who experience it to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the world, especially the higher power that is at work in and around us all.

THE MISSION

JAM Productions creates to heal. There is a light that shines brighter on the shattered pieces than picturesque perfection, making the pain of what caused the breakage a cause for celebration and not mourning. There is freedom in art. There is collateral beauty. There is Love. It is within and surrounding us all if only one could learn to create outside the margin and be unafraid to present the truth, in all of its shame and glory. There lies the ability to change the world.

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NOTE TO EDITORS/CONTACT

News media representatives planning to cover this event may
request tickets for this event by contacting Jairis Carter or Mareshah Dupree, the co-producers for JAM Productions, at (213) 469-9696 or (213) 469-9697 or email at [email protected] or [email protected]. A ticket will be required for entry to the theater.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Instagram:
@peacelovejairis
@_mareshah_