Broadway insider amusingly dissects Debbie Harry/Madonna musical disaster on the West End.
September 5-19 at Voyeur as part of FringeArts
"A charmingly self-deprecating solo show that takes its title from one particularly contentious review. The whole sordid tale, from the musical’s stillbirth in London and successful afterlife in Tokyo, to the author’s dealings with Debbie Harry and Madonna herself, is told as a merciless sendup of the business of art." -- The New York Times
"Fast-paced fun and engrossing… a simply uplifting and completely engrossing tribute to the human spirit." -- The List, Edinburgh
" Highly entertaining… a salutary lesson to anyone looking to the stage for fame, fortune and happiness." -- British Theatre Guide
"Tremendously engaging." -- BroadwayWorld, London
After acclaimed runs in New York, the UK and Australia, writer/performer Peter Michael Marino presents the Philadelphia premiere of his comic autopsy on the $6 million West End musical fiasco Desperately Seeking Susan in DESPERATELY SEEKING THE EXIT. Directed by Obie Award winner John Clancy and produced by Spin Cycle, it will be performed September 5-19 at Voyeur as part of the FringeArts Festival.
In 2007, American playwright Peter Michael Marino wrote a musical based on the Madonna film “Desperately Seeking Susan” featuring the music of Blondie. It opened on London’s West End…and closed a month later. DESPERATELY SEEKING THE EXIT offers a behind-the-scenes peek at how this £4 million musical was made and unmade: hatching the idea, deals with MGM, Debbie Harry and even Madonna; the workshops, the previews, the scathing reviews and the closing night. Once you’re in, there’s no way out!
Peter Michael Marino is a writer, actor, director and teacher. He received the 2010 and 2011 Backstage Reader’s Choice Award for Favorite Comedy Teacher for his acclaimed “Flying Solo” classes at The PIT. He also received the Back Stage Bistro Award for his cabaret spoof, Lance Jonathan: More About Me! He is the co-writer of the lesbian pulp homage Hollywood Nurses. He has directed and developed shows with Delilah Dix (Ars Nova, Laurie Beechman Theatre and Edinburgh Fringe), Mark Giordano’s Mad Man (The PIT), Sheila Head’s Head Games (IO West, Ars Nova), and Alicia Levy’s Chickapalooza (The PIT, Ars Nova). As a performer, he appeared in STOMP for five years off-Broadway and on tour, as well as in numerous regional productions and workshops.
John Clancy is an Obie Award-winning director, playwright, and a partner in Clancy Productions, an acclaimed international theatrical touring and production company. He is the founding Artistic Director of The Present Company and a founding Artistic Director of The New York International Fringe Festival. He has directed six Scotsman Fringe First winning productions at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, including Americana Absurdum (Brian Parks), Cincinnati (Don Nigro), Horse Country (C.J. Hopkins), screwmachine/eycandy (C.J. Hopkins) and his own Fatboy. Both Horse Country and Cincinnati went on to win The Best of the Fringe Award at the Adelaide Fringe in 2004. In 2002 he received a Glasgow Herald Angel for excellence in direction at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. John was awarded The New York Magazine Award in 1997 for “creativity, enterprise and vision”.
Spin Cycle is a New York City based theatrical production, publicity and marketing company. They are the founding publicists for the New York International Fringe Festival. In addition to their work with New York theater companies including The Flea, P.S. 122, The Civilians, Labyrinth, New Georges, and Talking Band, they have worked in New York with Philly companies including Pig Iron, New Paradise Laboratories and Beserker Residents. Their past Philadelphia Fringe productions include Alison "Nellie Oleson" Arngrim's Confessions of a Prairie Witch, Mike Albo's Spray, Shequida's Opera For Dummies and Kiki & Herb's Philly debut, Where Are We Now? New York producing credits include Kiki & Herb: Have Another (Obie Award), Thank You For Being A Friend - The Musical, The Donkey Show, Celebrity Autobiography, and Jinkx Monsoon's The Vaudevillians as well as solo shows by Alec Mapa, Holly Woodlawn, Alice Ripley, Vanessa Wiliams, and Joan Rivers. As part of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, they will also produce Kim Cole's Oh But Wait, There's More! and the Philly premiere of the Off-Broadway hit Human Fruit Bowl.
DESPERATELY SEEKING THE EXIT runs September 5, 6, 18 & 19 at 8pm at Voyeur (1221 St. James St., just off Locust -- accessible from the PATCO 12-13 & Locust) Doors open 1 hour before showtime. Tickets are $20 at 866-811-4111 or www.SpinCycleNYC.com. For more information, visit www.SeekingTheExit.com.