JAXX & LOLO - A FRIENDSHIP SHOW Will be Presented in February and March at FRIGID FEST

Lauren O'Brien's poetic solo work, Jaxx & Lolo - A Friendship Show, will be presented in February and March at FRIGID Fest. The show is inspired by the author's real-life outsider friendship with punk-poet, Jackie Sheeler. Jaxx & Lolo brings the audience along on a surreal and harrowing journey as Lolo battles the threat of Jaxx's suicide. It's told through dialogue, poetry, song and flashbacks - which give context to their shared history. **Theatergoers should be aware that Jaxx & Lolo deals with delicate, and for some, triggering subject matters.

"Jaxx & Lolo is maybe a little Fleabag, and a little The Bell Jar," says O'Brien. "This work is my way of turning poison into medicine. I experienced heartbreaking loss in the past couple of years, as well as a serious accident. I want to create something beautiful, honest - sometimes even funny - out of that trauma. And, of course I'm thrilled that I get to do that with my director, Christine Renee Miller."

Lauren O'Brien has been a lifelong artist and activist. She began writing poetry, performing and organizing marches for animal rights as a child. After studying acting at Syracuse University, she began her professional career on tours and in regional theatre, performing roles in To Kill A Mockingbird (Mayella), Angels in America (Harper), A Wrinkle in Time (Mrs. Whatsit) and The Odyssey (Athena), among other works. As an original member of director Polina Klimovitskaya's avant-garde theatre troupe, Terra Incognita, Lauren credits Klimovitskaya's "psycho-physical" method as influential in her evolution as an artist.

After joining Marc Godwin and singer Janice Robinson in the band P.A.O. as its poet and lyricist, she assembled her own band and began playing New York clubs where she developed the material for her debut recording, Inconsequential Dream. She has since recorded an EP, Panic, as well as a punk-cabaret album, The Devil's Girlfriend, which she expanded into a theatrical show, touring it throughout Germany. Lauren has toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Europe and has performed at NYC's CMJ, Howl! Fest, and MEANY Fest, among others. She is a two-time recipient of New Century Music Awards.

For more details please visit: www.laurenobrienmusic.com

Christine Renee Miller is an actor, writer, director, and teacher. Her first acting role was as a guest star playing the mean girl on Sister, Sister - one of America's most popular TV shows of the late '90s. She was soon starring on other hit shows including Party of Five, Moesha and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and even experienced the fast-paced world of soap operas on General Hospital. During the early 2000s, she began directing and dove headfirst into a production of Fiddler on the Roof in the small college town of Hamilton, New York.

After her first experience directing, she caught that bug and moved to New York City. It is in NY where she wrote and performed her first solo show, Baby Cow, at FringeNYC. This led her to carve out a niche in the solo world, not only as a performer, but as the go-to director for solo shows. She has personally fostered over 60 shows as a teacher of the craft. Her newest solo show, the NYIT nominated, Such Nice Shoes, has had several runs at the beautiful and prestigious white box space at TheaterLab in NYC. In addition to the stage, she can be seen on BULL (CBS), in the dark comedy, Search Party (HBO Max), recurring as the snarky M.E. on Blue Bloods (CBS) and recurring on the soon-to-be released drama, For Life (ABC).

For more details please visit: www.ChristineRMiller.com

FRIGID is an open and uncensored theatre festival that gives artists an opportunity to let their ingenuity thrive in a venue that values freedom of expression and artistic determination. In true support of our Indie Theater Community, 100% of box office proceeds will go directly to the artists whose work is being presented. FRIGID is here to chill out the New York independent theatre scene's ideas of what a theatre festival can be!

Photo Credit: Becky Yee

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