2nd Annual Hollywood Fringe Welcomes AMERICAN ADDICT

AMERICAN ADDICT, written and performed by YouTube sensation Ricky Butler, is a classic coming-of-age tale - an intimate character study in which Ricky exposes the New Yorkers who battle a variety of addictions worse than his own - to drugs, fame, money, sex, and broken dreams.

In development for two years, Mr. Butler has created a masterpiece of six NYC characters that travel down the road to recovery through traditional and untraditional treatment methods, including the necessary evil of the reality show. Ricky is thrilled to be bringing his world premiere of American Addict to his hometown of Los Angeles in the Hollywood Fringe Festival, and explains, "I'm coming home to premiere my show and ask the audience to decide if the protagonist is actually an addict, or, is he simply an addict in an over diagnosed era?"

See for yourself the local talent that is Ricky Butler, a one-man show entirely written, produced and acted by Ricky with direction by Francesco Campari. The Preview Show is Friday, June 10, at 6:30pm at the ANNEX of ArtWorks Theatre & Studios, 6569 Santa Monica Blvd. Hollywood. The regular run commences June 16 at the i.O. West Theater 6366 Hollywood Blvd.; both theaters are part of Hollywood's fabled theater row.

EARLY REVIEWS:
"The Best Performance I've seen in New York All Year. This Kid is THE NEXT BOGOSIAN!"
Two-Time Emmy Winner Kristen Johnston

"Resonates with macabre hilarity - you'll laugh so you don't start crying in front of your friends."
Charlie Sanders (Star of MTV's 2011 series DEATH VALLEY)

AMERICAN ADDICT
Written and performed by Ricky Butler. Directed by Francesco Campari. Run Time: 1hr

PREVIEW SHOW NIGHT ONLY
When: Friday, June 10 at 6:30pm
Location: Fringe Central Theater
(The ANNEX at ArtWorks Theatre & Studios, 6569 Santa Monica Blvd. Hollywood, 90038. (Betwn. Seward & Hudson Sts.)
Tickets: $12. Buy tickets at http://hollywoodfringe.org/projects/336

AMERICAN ADDICT REGULAR RUN
When: Thursday, June 16-8PM
Friday, June 17-8PM
Saturday, June 18-8PM
Friday, June 24-8PM
Saturday, June 25-8PM
Location: i.O. West Theater 6366 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028 (At Cahuenga) 21+ ONLY
Tickets: $10. Buy tickets at http://hollywoodfringe.org/projects/336
Find us on Twitter: @americanaddict @Ricky Butler, and www.rickybutler.com

About the Hollywood Fringe Festival
The Hollywood Fringe Festival is an annual event uniting local, national, and International Artists in a celebration of the performing arts. The festival takes place June 16th - 26th in West Hollywood, California. For more information, visitwww.hollywoodfringe.org

RICKY BUTLER - Writer, Actor, Producer
After graduating from New York University (2008), Ricky attended the famed Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Butler was an early sensation on YouTube, receiving over five million views on his YouTube channel ("showmanROT") before retiring from the site in 2008. Butler is also well known for his political parodies (particularly of former president George W. Bush) and his celebrity impersonations (notably of actor Owen Wilson), his EMO KID Adventure series, his music videos ("Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" by the Killers, and the addictive "Fishcakes"), as well as playing his own double in "German" which he also directed and produced. Butler has also appeared on Comedy Central and onstage in the starring role of 'Dick' in an Off-Broadway production of Michael Weller's MOONCHILDREN (2009). Most recently Ricky Butler hosted his own monthly stand-up comedy show Caviar Comedy at the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park.

FRANCESCO CAMPARI - Director
Born in Milan, Italy, Francesco Campari has worked and trained with Accademia del Teatro alla Scala and Centro Teatro Attivo. As well as working extensively with Teatro La Scala and Mamadou Dioume among others. Directing credits include:Proof by David Auburn, Nineteenhundred by Alessandro Baricco, Fifth of July by Lanford Wilson and William and the Tradesmen by Eli James at La MaMa (Fringe NYC 2010). He recently directed the acclaimed production of The Science of Guilt by Jason Odell Williams at the DR2 theatre. Since 2008 Francesco serves as the associate Artistic Director of FIXITSOLIFE Theatre company. Campar also attended the Strasberg Institute (2008-2009) and will take part to the 2011 Lincoln Center Directors LAB.

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