AN INTOLERANT VAUDEVILLE Set for UNFringed Tonight

The UNFringed Festival and The Secret Theatre are pleased to present AN INTOLERANT VAUDEVILLE, conceived by Sam Viverito, written by Wendy Biller, Chris Hawthorne and Sam Viverito, with music by Ronnie Lawson and lyrics by Ronnie Lawson, Wendy Biller and Chris Hawthorne. Direction by Sam Viverito. Performances run tonight, August 25 at 7:00 pm, Thursday, August 27 at 7:00 pm, Saturday, August 29 at 5:00 pm, and Sunday, August 30 at 7:00 pm. All tickets are $18.00. For reservations and information visit http://unfringed2015.bpt.me or https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe.c/10017942 or call (718) 392-0722. The Secret Theatre is located at 4402 23rd St, Long Island City, NY 11101. E, M, G & 7 trains to Court Square or the N or Q train to Queensboro Plaza.

AN INTOLERANT VAUDEVILLE was inspired by Sam Viverito's visit to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. Written in the structure of a traditional vaudeville show, An Intolerant Vaudeville cracks open a piñata of slurs, stereotypes and identity politics that will leave the audience gasping from laughter, or maybe from shock. The show features a wide range of characters with diverse backgrounds, sexualities, body types and ethnicities, along with the people who hate them. Thrill to "The Fat Lady Don't Sing"; "The Contortionists," who twist themselves in knots trying not to offend one another; or the "Animal Parade" of racial and ethnic stereotypes! End with a glimmer of hope as "12 Angry Schmucks" must determine the fate of bigoted humanity in a sweltering downtown courtroom! Shocking and moving by turns, An Intolerant Vaudeville gives you an evening of theater you won't soon forget.

Sam Viverito (Co-writer, Director) is an internationally recognized director and choreographer. His works have been seen in such diverse places as South Korea, South Africa, Bali, England, Malaysia, Japan and Puerto Rico, as well as here at home. He has sent out several national tours, worked in many regional theaters as well as television. Some highlights of his career are: First American company of A Chorus Line in Seoul, South Korea, directing PBS Great Performances NJPAC Gala Opening night, #1 MTV Video in Australia, Europe and Asia and one of the biggest shows to play Madison Square Garden with over 500 cast members. He is Artistic Director of Rainbow Circus and Artistic Consultant and Co-producer of The Naked Magicians. His next project, Yeah, That Happened, written and performed by Nick Rafello, can be seen at the United Solo Festival.

Wendy Biller (Co-writer, Co-lyricist) is the recipient of the Jury Prize for her play The Refrigerator, which premiered in New Mexico this summer, by the Fusion Theatre Company. Wendy began her career in NYC as a choreographer. She is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant and her choreography for both theater and dance has been presented at Dance Theatre Workshop, P.S. 1, The Kitchen, the New York Art Theatre and the Public Theatre, as well as in videos for Paul Simon (You Can Call Me Al) and The Bangles (Walk Like an Egyptian). Her work was also nominated for MTV and Billboard Awards. She is also a Writer's Guild Award-winning screenwriter (Sea People), was co-creator/writer for the comedy series Commuter Confidential (TBS), has done projects for Showtime and Fox, and directed the independent comedy Mumsy.

Chris Hawthorne (Co-writer, Co-lyricist) began his career as Assistant Director for the New York Art Theatre, where he worked on and acted in William Burroughs' Naked Lunch and Kenneth Koch's The Red Robins. He has co-written and produced several screenplays, including Sea People, starring Hume Cronyn, which won the Writer's Guild Award and was nominated for four Emmy Awards as well the series Commuter Confidential for TBS. His motion picture Parents won the Prix de Critiques at the Festival Avoriaz and was named one of the Top Films of the Year by the British Film Yearbook.

Ronnie Lawson (Composer, Co-lyricist) has long been a presence on the New York music scene. Writing music since childhood, Ronnie honed his keyboard and arranging skills recording and touring with a diverse list of artists, including Edgar Winter, Joan Jett, Steve Forbert, Chuck Berry, Barry Manilow, Darlene Love, David Johanssen and Phoebe Snow. Ronnie has created music for and music directed some of the largest corporate events in history, including the Mercedes M-Class launch, New York Life's 150th Anniversary celebration, Novartis' Exelon launch (with Lynn Redgrave) and IBM "Interconnect."

The cast includes Leslie Alexander, John Ashley Brown, Colin Buckingham, John Dillon, Mikah Horn, Josephine Huang, Graham Keen, Robin Lounsbury, Jesse Manocherian, Daniel Pivovar, Darius-Anthony Robinson, and Maria Cristina Slye. Michael Hotopp is the set coordinator and David Agress is the lighting designer.

The Secret Theatre has been Long Island City's home for all things theater, music, opera, improv and dance since 2005. Recently dubbed "One of NYC's best theater spots" by Time Out: New York, the multi-faceted space has garnered a growing reputation thanks to the close-knit community of creators within Long Island City, an area that is quickly becoming a central hub for the arts in all five boroughs. Their UNFringed festival offers the stage to daring new works from passionate artists who aren't afraid to push the boundaries. Show us your Dada, your pure form; your absurd or your ridiculous; your futurism, surrealism, expressionism, symbolism, whateverism. All kinds of works are accepted, as long as they're unhinged, unabashed, unbelievable, UNFringed. www.secrettheatre.com.