NO ONE ASKED ME Set for FringeNYC, 8/8-22

The 18th annual New York International Fringe Festival - FringeNYC presents NO ONE ASKED ME, a new play by Kate Ballen, inspired by the true stories of undocumented immigrant NYC high school students. Matthew Newton directs a cast of nine including Octavia Chavez-Richmond, Ashlee Danielle, Gary De Mattei*, Alaina Fragoso, Corneilus Franklin, Jessica Maria Kight, Veda Kumarjiguda, Terra Mackintosh*, and Jihan McKenzie. Performances will be stated at Venue #2: The Flamboyan Theatre at the Clemente, 107 Suffolk Street (bet. Rivington and Delancey). *Appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association. AEA Approved Showcase.

Inspired by true stories, NO ONE ASKED ME delves into the turbulent world of "undocumented" students. Each year over 65,000 students without legal immigration papers graduate from high school in the U.S. Daniel, Alyssa, and Sophie are Bronx high school seniors hopeful for their future-yet without a social security number, they are unable to get college financial aid, legal employment and live in constant fear of being "found out" and deported from the only home they have ever known. NO ONE ASKED ME is an insider's look at the intimate human struggle behind the current political debate in Congress around the Dream Act.

NO ONE ASKED ME marks the debut of playwright Kate Ballen. She was an award winning journalist at Fortune Magazine, book author, and for the past ten years has worked as a college counselor at an inner city Bronx high school. This play is based on her experience working closely with undocumented students, helping to navigate the college and immigration process.

Matthew Newton is a critically acclaimed director, writer and actor who worked extensively in his native Australia in the theater, on television and in film. His debut feature film as writer/director "Three Blind Mice" won the prestigious FIPRESCI critics prize.

NO ONE ASKED ME is presented by FringeNYC. Director: Matthew Newton; Set Designer Yuki Nakase; Sound Designer: Sam LaFrage; Lighting Designer: Gertjan Houben; ACR: Aileen Pare; Stage Manager: Justice Longshore; Graphic Design: Kylie Holmes; Marketing: Alan Swanke; Public Relations: Paul Siebold / Off Off PR.

NO ONE ASKED ME plays for five performances from August 8-22 on the following schedule: Friday, August 8 @ 8:00pm; Sunday, August 10 @ 12pm; Thurday, August 14 @ 2:00pm**; Sunday, August 17 @ 8:30; Friday, August 22 @ 4.

**A talkback will be held after the performance on Thursday, August 14th at 2pm.

Tickets are $18 and can be purchased online beginning July 18th at FringeNYC.org, by phone at 866-468-7619 up to 24 hours before the show, or in person at FringeCENTRAL, 114 Norfolk Street (bet. Rivington and Delancey) from 12n-8pm beginning July 25th. Tickets are available at Venue #2, 15 minutes prior to the performance.