EVERSCAPE to Play FringeNYC

Jordi Coats and Ashley Gunsteens, in association with The Present Company, present the WORLD-PREMIERE of EVERSCAPE- Allan Maule's new action-packed dramedy about addiction to the world of online gaming - as part of the 19th Annual New York International Fringe Festival with five performances only, between August 18-29 at the Celebration of Whimsy Theater a.k.a. COW (21 Clinton Street) in Manhattan. EverScape is an Equity Approved Showcase.

EVERSCAPE features an online world of epic fantasy battles that help four gamers escape their bleak realities. But when offered a chance to win jobs as game developers, lines get crossed between what's more real: the game or their lives? Epic fight scenes ensue, love blossoms among strangers, avatars start to influence day-to-
day behavior, and winning quickly becomes the only solution.

Directed by Ashley Gunsteens (WHAT EVERY GIRL SHOULD KNOW, FringeNYC 2013 "Best Ensemble"), the EVERSCAPE cast features: Phil Gillen* (last seen Off Broadway in A HAPPY END, and as "Wilbur" in the Theatreworks USA National Tour of CHARLOTTE'S WEB), Michael Rehse (FringeNYC 2014: A 1940'S COMEDY OF ERRORS, and THINGS I LEFT ON LONG ISLAND), Ivy Croteau, Tim Heller, Meg Mark, Sean Dube, Ariel Cruz and Jacob Williams.

The movement team for EVERSCAPE consists of co-choreographers Adam Davidson and Julia Adle, fight director Michael Hagins (THE CALL OF THE SIREN, FringeNYC 2014), and dance/fight captain Dakota Mackey-McGee.

Playwright Allan Maule is an award-winning North Carolina-based playwright and screenwriter with more than ten years of writing experience for the stage and digital media. Favorite productions of his plays include MADE WHOLE (Burning Coal Theatre), IMPERFECT STRANGERS (Marsh Woodwinds), and FRAMING THE SHOT (Wordshed Productions). Allan also worked as a video game writer and voice director on the MMORPG "Fallen Earth" and the Serious Game "Uptick", as well as interactive demos for the game company Icarus Studios. Allan is a graduate of Duke University and holds a masters in performance studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Director Ashley Gunsteens is a freelance Brooklyn-based director with a penchant for movement and ensemble-
based work. Favorite projects include ROMANTIC FOOLS by Rich Orloff (AlphaNYC), WHAT EVERY GIRL SHOULD KNOW by Monica Byrne ("Best Ensemble" FringeNYC 2013), VOLLEYGIRLS THE MUSICAL ("Best of Fest" NYMF 2013), JULIUS CAESAR and HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE (Lab! Theatre). Ashley is the co-creator & co-producer of Salon Bklyn, a series of visual and performance art events in Park Slope, Brooklyn. She directed the NY reading and choreography workshops of EVERSCAPE earlier this year.Producer Jordi Coats has worked with Binder Casting, Tara Rubin Casting, and Telsey + Company casting.

Recently, she was an associate producer of the award-winning MOTHER JONES AND THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE (NYMF 2014), asst. director and associate producer for VOLLEYGIRLS (NYMF 2013 "Best of Fest"), and asst. director SHINER (IAMA Theatre Company).

Jordi continues to work with VOLLEYGIRLS, producing cabarets and other fund-raising campaigns for organizations such as "It Gets Better" around NYC. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While in NC, she founded The Talent Company, a theatre company for middle and high school students in the Uwharrie region that is currently in its 7th season.

In a recent interview, Gunsteens (director) stated, "EVERSCAPE is both funny and poignant, fantastical and grounded. It deals with the realities of addiction and escapism, very real issues within our generation today, but is filled with so many action-packed fight scenes and hilarious characters that speak to you whether you are an avid WoW player or have never even touched an Xbox. The show is exciting and funny and troubling and redeeming. How often do you find new work that is all of those things?"

EVERSCAPE will perform at the Celebration of Whimsy Theater (21 Clinton Street) as part of the 19th Annual New York International Fringe Festival, on the following dates: Tuesday, August 18 at 4:30pm; Sunday, August 23 at 2:45pm (FringeHIGH talkback to follow); Wednesday, August 26 at 9:00pm; Friday, August 28 at 9:00pm; Saturday, August 29 at 6:15pm. General admission tickets are $18; advance tickets available online beginning July 17, at www.fringenyc.org.