Mark Vigeant Presents MARK PLEASES YOU As Part Of The New York Comedy Festival

Mark Pleases You, a hilarious and vulnerable award-winning, one-man comedic play that explores the price of people-pleasing, comes to New York City after a critically-acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for one night only as part of the New York Comedy Festival.

Mark Pleases You concluded a full run at Edinburgh after selling out a run at the first annual Harrisburg Fringe Festival in Pennsylvania in July, and wrapping a sold-out run at the 13th annual Hollywood Fringe Festival in June, at which Vigeant was nominated for Best Solo Performance. He won the “Best of Broadwater” award, as well as the “Hollywood Encore Producers' Award.”

Tom Layton, critic for the London theater review site Everything Theatre, gave Mark Pleases You five stars, saying, “Vigeant's performance is cheerfully hilarious, and his excitement is infectious, making for a delightful experience that is polished in its concision, connection and feel.”

Ernest Kearney, critic for boutique news and entertainment platform TVolution.com, gave Mark Pleases You a platinum medal, calling the show “absolutely inspired hilarity delivered by a comic cheetah.” 

Eloise Coopersmith, critic for Los Angeles performing arts and culture site Gia On The Move, described Vigeant as a “comedic whirlwind” and writes of the show: “Mark takes the stage like a Tasmanian devil, unleashing a live wire, fireball performance that will leave you in awe.”

Tatum Stafford, critic for the Australian review blog Theatre Travels, calls Vigeant “an amazing physical comedian,” and a “fantastic improviser.”

Earlier this year in May, Vigeant participated in the 2023 San Diego Fringe Festival, where Mark Pleases You won the “Best of the Fest” Award.

Vigeant also won the Cultural Exchange Award, which will send him and the show to the New Zealand Fringe in 2024. This was Vigeant's first appearance at San Diego International Fringe Festival.

Pam Kragen, Chief Theatre Critic at The San Diego Union-Tribune described Mark Pleases You “brutally self-aware,” writing: “Mark Vigeant's wildly frenetic solo show is jam-packed with clever ideas and boundless energy.”

Audiences can see Mark Pleases You in Hollywood as part of the Hollywood Independent Theater Festival this fall. It will be Vigeant's first appearance in the United States after the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The show will run at the Hudson Theatres Backstage, located at 6539 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038. Performance time is 8:30pm and will run at approximately 55 minutes.

For his entire life, comedian Mark Vigeant did everything he possibly could to make everyone around him happy. The moment he decides to change gears and focus on himself, a freak accident kills him onstage. After being sent directly to hell, Mark is given one chance to convince his 11-year-old self not to be a people-pleaser. The only problem? Mark hates that fat, stupid idiot. 

“It's a fast-paced, super personal exploration of people-pleasing and what it means to be a good person,” says Vigeant. 

Mark Vigeant is a comedian in Los Angeles. His solo show, Let's Make a Website, had a sold-out run at the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater in New York before touring the country from the Kennedy Center to Comedy Central's Clusterfest. Credits include the San Francisco, Austin, Toronto, Boston, and New York Sketchfests, New York Comedy Festival, National College Comedy Festival, Jangleheart Circus, Hell Yes Fest, and the Del Close Marathon. His work has been featured in the Daily Dot, the Village Voice, The AV Club, TimeOutNY, FunnyOrDie, and the New York Times.

Joanna Simmons is a writer/director living in New York City. She has directed over 20 solo shows, countless comedy shows, and taught classes on solo show creation and creative writing. A self-proclaimed, "Story Midwife", She'd love to help you get your next show out of your head! Find me on Instagram @joannaksimmons