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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jena Friedman at jenawilli@yahoo.com
UnPleasant Comedy Company presents
THE REFUGEE GIRLS REVUE Created by Jena Friedman
August 2008
New York, NY June 28, 2008
The Unpleasant Comedy Company is pleased to announce New York Fringe Festival production of THE REFUGEE GIRLS REVUE, a musical parody.
THE REFUGEE GIRLS REVUE, a politically charged musical parody, begins with a meeting of The Refugee Girls Club. The girls welcome in two newcomers from New Orleans, Katrina and her little sister Rita, by introducing them to the entire Refugee Doll Collection through song, dance and valuable life lessons.
Written by stand-up comedian and improviser, Jena Friedman, and directed by Scott Illngworth, THE REFUGEE GIRL REVUE is a witty and irreverent political satire that will make you cry laughing!
THE REFUGEE GIRL REVUE FACT SHEET
THEATRE:
Theatre 80
80 St. Marks Place, NYC (between First and Second Avenue)
SCHEDULE:
Sun August 17, 9:00pm
Tues August 19, 9:45pm
Wed August 20, 4:15pm
Fri August 22, 5:00pm
Sat August 23, 5:00pm
PREVIEW PARTIES:
Lakeshore Theater in Chicago August 13th & 14th at 8-11pm, $10
TICKETS:
$15.00
RESERVATIONS & INFO:
CAST:
Missi Davis, Marie Denny, Ruth Gamble, Cara Hawthorne, Dave Hill, Kate Lane, Lauren Maul, Jasmine McNeely, Fawzie Mirza, Teresa Spizzirri, Lauren Van Kurin
STAFF:
Scott Illingworth (Director), Jena Friedman (Writer), Boaz Reisman (Composer), Lauren Maul (Musical Director), Tiffany & Danielle Putterbaugh (Costume Designers), Ruth Gamble (Stage Manager)
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“Anyone whose pleasant stroll along Michigan Avenue has been hijacked by the phalanxes of families armed with American Girl bags will love this!”
-Chicago Magazine
Picked as one of “12 Shows to catch at Fringe Festival” out of more than 200 shows at the 12th Annual New York International Fringe Festival
-amNewYork
“This is a smart, well-written, hilarious parody. It’s timely political commentary, on the exoticization of political crises around the world, coupled with its unique take on American commercialism, make it a searing commentary on our times. The cast is amazingly talented, bringing a little Second City Chicago energy to New York. Scott Illingworth’s direction is great. If you’re in New York, don’t miss it!”
**** (four stars) Tsunamis, illegal immigration, child labor, global warming: Nothing is safe or sacred in the deliciously wicked spoof that is The Refugee Girls Revue. The cast works together brilliantly as a well-oiled comedic ensemble, some even donning braces to accessorize their roles as prepubescent girls. As smart as it is amusing, The Refugee Girls Revue uses off-color humor to suggest that, although we're no longer living in a time of cholera, our dolls (and we) still have a hell of a lot to endure.
-TimeOutNY.com (click for full review)
In The Refugee Girls Revue, playwright/comedian Jena Friedman takes satirical aim at so many targets that it would be easy for her to miss the mark here and there. Yet somehow, improbably and fantastically, she hits them all dead-on. Rampant consumerism? Check. Pious political correctness? Check. Earnest, simplistic definitions of global crises? Check. The self-centered determinism of both the U.S. government and teenage girls? Check. I could go on and on. With The Refugee Girls Revue, Friedman and her creative team offer a razor-sharp satire that joyfully skewers the American Dream in all of its commercialized glory.
The cast's performances of these stories are simultaneously wide-eyed and knowing. The actors' combination of sweetness and cruelty maximizes laughs by shrewdly wrapping incisive political commentary in a sugary coating. The entire cast brings great comic timing and endless energy to the production.
It's truly exciting to see a cast of ten (!) fearless and funny women carrying a sharp political show written by a young female comedian. Friedman's brutally funny and unique view of the absurdity of our world makes her a comic force to be reckoned with. Keep an eye out for her standup as well as her future theatrical endeavors. And see this show while you can. I suspect it's the most fun you'll have at FringeNYC this year.
-NYTheatre.com (click for full review)
