SHACKLETON'S ANTARCTIC NIGHTMARE Comes to United Solo Festival, 10/24

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love and are obsessed with the story of Ernest Shackleton, and those who haven't heard it yet. This October, New Yorkers will have their chance to join the first category when Lawrence Howard brings his one-man show, "Shackleton’s Antarctic Nightmare: The 1914 Voyage of The Endurance," to the third annual United Solo Festival. The epic, 140-minute production will take place at Theatre ROW in the heart of New York's theatre district on October 24, 2012 at 3:30 p.m.

This is the gripping, true story of the British Antarctic explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton, and the 1914 voyage of the ship, Endurance. Shackleton’s dream of being the first man to traverse the Antarctic continent from one side to the other became a nightmare when his valiant ship was trapped in the pack ice of the Weddell Sea and crushed by the pressure of the ice. The story of how he and the 27 men of his expedition survived on the ice and eventually came to safety is an epic tale of hardship, courage, and endurance.

"This show is very near and dear to my heart," says Howard, "because my father and I shared a lifelong passion for the Shackleton story, and I like to weave a few threads about him into the telling." The show has had three sold-out runs at Portland Story Theater in Portland, Oregon.

Lynne Duddy, who directed the show, is one of the co-founders of Portland Story Theater, and has been at the forefront of the emergence of personal narrative as a performance art form since 2001. Discussing what is so unique and important about long-form personal narrative, Duddy says, "With no set, no script, no costumes, no props, and no fancy lighting, a lone performer holds the stage and singlehandedly creates an entire universe with nothing more than gesture, words and voice. This is a return to the ancient roots of theater. This is theater at its most elemental, most essential core.”

Howard was selected to participate in the United Solo Festival from among hundreds of solo artists from all over the world. United Solo selects shows in a broad range of categories, including storytelling, improv, dance, puppetry, multimedia, stand-up, magic, tragedy, comedy, music, and other forms of solo performance. Participation is by invitation only. The festival is held between October 11 and November 18, 2012. More information can be found at the festival website www.unitedsolo.org. And for more about "Shackleton's Antarctic Nightmare," click HERE.

Lawrence Howard, one of the co-founders of Portland Story Theater, launched the Armchair Adventurer series after a tremendous response to the world premiere of "Shackleton’s Antarctic Nightmare" in 2008. The Armchair Adventurer is a three-part series of original works that has been received with great enthusiasm: "Shackleton’s Antarctic Nightmare" (2008, 2009, 2012); "Mawson’s Mettle" (2010); and "Polar Opposites: Amundsen, Scott, and The Race For The Pole" (2011). Lawrence is originally from New York but has lived in the Pacific Northwest most of his adult life. He has a keen fascination for Antarctica, is a lover of limericks, and enjoys brewing his own ginger ale at home. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, Lynne Duddy, who directed "Shackleton’s Antarctic Nightmare."

Tickets are $18.00 and are available? for? purchase? at? the ?Theatre? Row? Box? Office,? 410? West?42nd Street, New York, or by Telecharge,? http://www.telecharge.com, 212.239.6200.

Pictured: Lawrence Howard © 2009 Isaac Koval (top). Launching The Caird from Elephant Island. Photo Credit: Ship's Photographer, Frank Hurley, 1914 (side).

Plus, check out a video clip from the performance below!