'Bottomless' Begins 11/3; Discount from Donated Jeans

Somewhere between blue jeans and obsession, gossip and friendship, lies the sad truth and bitter hilarity of reality. Kellie Arens plumbs these depths as she examines two very different sides of the same conversation in the world premiere of her quirky and poignant comedy Bottomless. Directed by Denyse Owens and presented by RVLP Productions, in association with Elba Sette-Camara, performances will begin on November 3 at the Bowery Poetry Club, located at 308 Bowery. (Donate a pair of jeans at the door and receive an $8 discount.)

"Portia and Dolly both have big dreams, but neither has much hope of reaching their goals. Portia is a struggling actress with a worry streak a mile wide and an attitude to match. When not fixated on her appearance, she keeps up on the latest entertainment gossip and tries to stick to her most recent diet. Meanwhile, her friend Dolly, stuck in a dead-end job as a law secretary, has a severe lack of ambition, with her greatest accomplishment being that she sometimes finishes the newspaper crossword puzzle. And she's also sleeping with Portia's boyfriend," state press notes, "The emptiness of these two women's lives is played out in a clothing store changing room where Portia frantically tries on one pair of jeans after another while Dolly passes them to her through the door. As they're talking to each other, they're also having conversations with themselves, with more than an occasional snide comment. Comments which reveal not only who they really are, but also what they really think about their so-called "friend." What starts out as a look at the lives of two somewhat vapid women turns into a funny and poignant tale of a pair of flesh and blood girls going nowhere fast, just trying to get by as best they can."

The cast of Bottomless features Elba Sette-Camara and Kellie Arens.

A native of Southern California, Kellie Arens received her MFA in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School and her BA in Theater from UCLA. Her last play, Lunch Buddies, which she wrote and directed, was produced in Los Angeles. Kellie's New York credits include: The Onion Lovers (Fringe NYC, Ensemble Award); Dirty (Stamford Center for Performing Arts); The Great Black Sambo Machine (Ars Nova); On Dry Land (Blue Heron Arts Center); Mud (ASDS); For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls (New School for Drama); Feisty Pussy (Samuel French Festival); and Streetcar's Lost Scenes (Actors Studio). As an actress, Kellie's Off-Broadway roles include:  Fatal Attraction: A Greek Tragedy; Roadhouse: The Play; and Corporate Rock.  In Los Angeles, Kellie is a member of the Orphans Theater Company and the People's Republic of Improv.  Kellie is a member of Actors' Equity Association.

Elba Sette-Camara is thrilled to be working on the premiere of Kellie Arens' Bottomless. Previous theatrical acting credits include: the world premiere of Misterioso 119 at The Berkshire Theatre Festival, Chloe in Random Particles of Matter Floating in Space, (she also was a producer on the project). Television: "Lipstick Jungle," "Law and Order," "Cinema Therapy". Film: Writer/Actor in Of, The. MFA: The Actors Studio Drama School. She is currently enrolled at Fordham University getting a Masters in Social Work. Elba is co-founder of Jonathan Elba Productions.

Denyse Owens has been directing in New York and New Jersey for 6 years. Favorite directing credits are: Taking Control at Luna Stage, On Dry Land at Blue Heron Arts Center, Defacing Michael Jackson (Winner of Samuel French Festival 2005), Match Me in the 2005 NY Fringe Festival, and Mud at Actors Studio Drama School. In 2005 she earned her MFA in Directing from The Actors Studio Drama School. In her spare time, Denyse is a teaching artist and is a proud company member of Interborough Repertory Theater in the West Village.

Running through November 24, Bottomless will be performed at the Bowery Poetry Club, located at 308 Bowery, between Houston & Bleecker Streets. Show times are Saturdays at 8pm. Tickets are $18.00, $10 with a donated pair of jeans. Reservations: 646-478-7087. Members of the press are invited to all performances.

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