A LITTLE POTATO AND HARD TO PEEL Set for United Solo Festival at Theatre ROW, 10/26

A Little Potato and Hard to Peel is a universal story…that is, a universal story about a not so ordinary life. In his autobiographical one-man show, David Harrell delivers a hilarious and insightful look at living with a disability. He examines just how much our differences can present the same challenges.

In a fast and funny 55 minutes David takes the audience on a journey that begins with the day he was born without his right hand. He shares both the highs and lows of his engaging life story. Adversity naturally presents challenges and A Little Potato and Hard to Peel makes no attempt to deny the stigma that is often attached to living with a disability. Life is also filled with warmth and humor and David certainly has his share. With appearances from Darth Vader and Mr. T, along with the colorful members of his loving family, David singularly serves as story teller and performer. From his first playground fight to the day he gets the girl and his letterman jacket, it’s easy to see why he chose the actor’s life over a future in baseball.

“It’s a very personal story for me, but we all face challenges in our lives,” says David. “While I have a disability, this show isn’t about overcoming the circumstances of my life; instead, it’s about the decision to not be defined by limitations. I think we all have the potential to live with determination, dignity and courage.”

Recently accepted into the 2012 United Solo Theatre Festival, A Little Potato and Hard to Peel will perform at Theatre Row on Friday, October 26 at 6:00 pm.

A Little Potato and Hard to Peel is written and performed by David Harrell. Directed by Kirk White and stage managed by Stephanie Byrnes, the show debuted off-off Broadway in 2009, earning Harrell a New York Innovative Theatre Award nomination for "Outstanding Solo Performance." Previous iterations of the show were work shopped with The P.I.T., Wide Eyed Productions, Film Woman the Show and The Episcopal Actors' Guild.

David is an actor, writer, speaker and disability advocate. Originally from Brunswick, Georgia, he now resides in New York City. He holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi and an MFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

While in North Carolina, David developed his first solo show entitled The Quest, which he presented in theatres, schools, churches and conferences throughout the southeast. He also served as the Accessibility and Outreach Director for the Raleigh Ensemble Players Theatre Company (REP) and was awarded the Triangle Access Award from the Alliance of Advocates in 2004.

In New York, David has performed with The Actors Studio, Take Wings and Soar, Wide Eyed Productions, Looking Glass Theatre, TBTB and New York Classical Theatre. He has also appeared in several independent films and webisodes, and has had the pleasure of working with the New York Institution “Law and Order: SVU.” In 2010, David began working with New York City choreographer Heidi Latsky. He performed in the original premiere of the dance IF and is a company member of GIMP (www.thegimpproject.com).

As a disability advocate, David serves as the Disability and Programming Associate for the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts in New York City. The Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts is a nonprofit organization that serves as an expert advocate and educational resource for full inclusion in theatre, film, television and related media (www.inclusioninthearts.org).

As a speaker, David works with Kate Holgate and the Alliance for Success Speaker Management. Taking aspects of his solo play and creating a dynamic, entertaining and engaging speaking presentation, he has appeared at numerous conferences, organizations and corporations around the country (www.allforsuccess.org).

A Little Potato and Hard to Peel will perform Friday, October 26 at 6:00 pm at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street) with a running time of 55 minutes.

TICKETS, with a price of $18, are available at the Theatre Row Box Office and online through Telecharge at www.telecharge.com. You may also call Telecharge at 212-239-6200. When placing your reservation, please provide: the FESTIVAL name (United Solo Theatre Festival), the name of THEATRE (Theatre ROW – The Studio Theatre), and the specific DAY and TIME of SHOW you would like to see.

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