| Theater & Women's History Month - "The Pink Hulk" - Internationally Acclaimed Play Returns to Manhattan WHAM Festival on Saturday, March 21 | |
| Last Edit: Official_Press_Release 10:46 am EST 02/12/20 | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 10:46 am EST 02/12/20 | |
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| The WHAM (Women History Artist Month) Festival Co-Presents The Pink Hulk: One Woman’s Journey to Find the Superhero Within Written and Performed by Three-Time Cancer Survivor Valerie David Directed by Padraic Lillis and Maris Heller Saturday, March 21^st at 7:30 p.m. (one performance only) Goddard Riverside Bernie Wohl Center 647 Columbus Avenue (bet. 91^st and 92^nd Streets) New York, NY 10024 General Admission: $20 Students/Seniors: $15 Special Interest Groups: $10 Visit: https://pinkhulkwham2020.brownpapertickets.com or call for tickets at 1-800-838-3006 Runtime: 75 minutes with no intermission (+30-min special panel talkback) (Mature content) In honor of Women’s History Month, the [11]WHAM Festival co-presents the critically, internationally acclaimed comedic solo show The Pink Hulk: One Woman’s Journey to Find the Superhero Within, written, performed and produced by three-time cancer survivor Valerie David. Directed by Padraic Lillis and Maris Heller, one performance with a talkback following will be staged at the Goddard Riverside Bernie Wohl Center, 647 Columbus Avenue (bet. 91^st and 92^nd Streets) in New York City, on Saturday, March 21^st, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. The Pink Hulk has been invited back to WHAM for a third year in a row, performing a surprise new ending each time! Now battling breast cancer after fighting off lymphoma, Valerie does something most people facing cancer in their life probably wouldn't think of doing. With a fear that she might lose “the girls”, she takes them out for one last hurrah. And does Valerie succeed? Is there a "happy" ending? Come see the show to find out! This sexy, adventurous solo show follows Valerie's journey to seek her own "hulk-like" strength to find her superhero within to become a 3-time cancer survivor. An empowering and true story of inspiration for anyone facing ANY adversity in their own lives! With plenty of humor—guaranteed! Valerie “hulked out” on cancer; after her first two bouts with cancer—Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 1999 and then breast cancer in 2014/2015. Then in September 2018, Valerie was re-diagnosed with breast cancer—this time Stage IV metastatic. As of April 2019, she has beaten cancer again and has continued to beat it! Valerie reactivated her superhero within, and exactly five months after receiving oral medication–no surgery, no radiation, no chemotherapy, Valerie no longer has active disease. There is no trace of her cancer! Her solo play is a celebration of being comfortable in one’s own skin, of embracing and accepting one’s own body—no matter the shape or size. Her comical take is funny, emotional and inspiring. The Pink Hulk is a true testament to the power of our own inner superheroes within to fight back any adversity in life—to never give up and always have hope! “My show is not just about fighting cancer; it has a universal message of hope and empowerment,” Valerie said. And after all, a cancer diagnosis means only one thing: Time to get laid! The Pink Hulk has been accepted into 28 play festivals in 3½ years’ time, performing worldwide including in England, Sweden and Finland, garnering rave reviews and winning several awards. General Admission Tickets are $20; Students and Seniors are $15; Special Interest Groups are $10. For more information, visit https://pinkhulkwham2020.brownpapertickets.com or call 1-800-838-3006. The runtime is 75 minutes with no intermission and mature content, plus a 30-minute special panel talkback. Valerie David (playwright/performer/producer) wrote autobiographical comedic drama The Pink Hulk as a cancer survivor to express the empowerment she felt being able to find humor and superhero inner strength going through three bouts of cancer—first Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (1999), Stage II Breast Cancer (2014-2015) and then Stage IV Metastatic Breast cancer (2018-2019). Valerie is a true superhero. She currently has no evidence of disease—no trace of her cancer. Valerie raises money through The Pink Hulk performances for domestic and international cancer organizations. She is currently developing her new solo show Baggage from BaghDAD about her father and his family fleeing Iraq in 1941 from religious persecution--and how their survival shaped who she is today. Valerie will be performing a staged reading of Baggage from BaghDAD on Saturday, May 9, at 7 pm at TADA! Theater as part of Emerging Artists Theatre’s Spring New Works Series. Valerie is also an improviser, writer, editor and motivational speaker. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts-Manhattan Campus and James Madison University, her credits include the Off-Broadway production of A Stoop on Orchard Street, Cookie in Rumors and Claudia Shear’s Blown Sideways Through Life. Films: How I Became that Jewish Guy and Bridges and Tunnels. As a marathon cyclist, she cofounded Cycle of Hope, which raises money for national and international cancer organizations through bike marathons. Her most recent biking event raised almost $5,000 for the American Cancer Society and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Valerie has also co-written several two-person plays and cabarets. Memberships include the Dramatists Guild, TRU, League of Professional Theatre Women, AEA and SAG-AFTRA. She also performed improv throughout New York City with improv groups Faceplant, Cronuts and Cherub. With more than 20 years of experience as a writer and an editor, she also teaches improv and writing classes across the country and worldwide. Padraic Lillis (director) is the founding Artistic Director of The Farm Theater. He was awarded Best Direction of a Solo Show for Valerie's The Pink Hulk solo show at Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. Padraic has also been awarded the NY IT Award for Outstanding Director for [13]Lindsay Joy's Rise and Fall of a Teenage Cyberqueen, Overall Excellence Award from NY International Fringe Festival for Lee Kaplan's Bully, Best Overall Production of a Solo Show and Planet Advocate Award for his solo show addressing suicide awareness Hope You Get To Eleven or What are we going to do about Sally?, and is a member of the Indie Theater Hall of Fame. He is a member of the [14]LAByrinth Theater Company and a lifelong Yankee fan. Maris Heller (director) is the founder of Maris Heller Studios, Maris has performed at Soho Repertory Theater, Primary Stages, The Gene Frankel Theater under the direction of renowned director Gene Frankel and has directed at the American Place Theater with founder/director Wynn Handman. Maris is a founding member of The First Amendment Comedy and Improvisation Co., and has directed numerous original works including solo performances, cabaret and, most notably, a special for PBS, "The Consuming Passions of Lydia Pinkham and Rev. Sylvester Graham". Maris has been an adjunct professor for speech and drama at City College of New York. She received her Master's Degree from San Francisco State University School of Drama.? Cynthia Adler (dramaturg) is a writer-performer and socio-political satirist. Her nine-character one-woman show “Downloaded – and in Denial” received rave reviews in New York and the Northeast, was featured in a half-page article by Chris Hedges in The New York Times and was voted “Best Show of the Year” at the Big Arts Festival in Sanibel Florida. She is one of the top commercial voice-overs and narrators in America having worked extensively with HBO, Discovery Channel, and PBS. Cynthia was the voice of many cartoon characters for Hanna Barbara, and for the animated feature “Fantastic Planet.” She also created many new voices and characters for The Muppet Shows in London. The Pink Hulk is co-presented by the WHAM Festival. About WHAM Goddard Riverside believes every person deserves the chance to achieve their full potential. Every year, Goddard’s Community Arts program spends the month of March celebrating work by, for and about women. Now entering its fifth year, Women History Artist Month embraces a wide range of arts including theater, opera, painting, improv, comedy, readings, dance, film and music. It is presented at Goddard Riverside’s Bernie Wohl Center and other venues on the Upper West Side. About Goddard Riverside: For more than 100 years, Goddard Riverside has been committed to investing in people and strengthening community by meeting New Yorkers’ most essential needs. Through 27 programs across 22 sites, Goddard Riverside provides comprehensive educational, cultural and recreational programs for New Yorker of all ages, including early childhood education, after school, employment support, college access, youth programs, homeless outreach, senior centers and legal assistance. |
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