New York Comedy Festival To Present LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION, 11/11

"Meredith Vieira Productions presents James Braly's LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION" has been announced as one of the closing night shows of the upcoming New York Comedy Festival.

The critically acclaimed one-man show, written and performed by This American Life contributor James Braly, returns to New York City from its national tour for the first time since its sold-out Off-Broadway run. The special performance on November 11, 2012 at Stage 72 (formerly the Triad Theatre) will be followed by a talk-back with producer Meredith Vieira.

LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION (20 Years of Monogamy in One Terrifying Hour), which premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, is an autobiographical dark comedy that cuts back and forth between the deathbed wedding of Braly's sister and his own marital adventures of 20 high-conflict years…or as thirteen couples counselors called it, "a passionate, bi-polar relationship." It ran at 59E59 and Soho Playhouse before embarking on its national tour. In development with Meredith Vieira Productions as a TV series, with Braly adapting the live show for screen, "Life in a Marital Institution" is also a forthcoming memoir from St. Martin's Press.

LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION (20 Years of Monogamy in One Terrifying Hour) is directed by Hal Brooks (No Child, Long Story Short) and produced by Meredith Vieira and Amy Rapp of Meredith Vieira Productions (Return, The Woman Who Wasn't There).

To purchase tickets to see LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION at the New York Comedy Festival on Sunday, November 11, 2012, at 7pm, visit www.nycomedyfestival.com.

For more information, visit www.jamesbraly.com.

James Braly is the writer and performer of Life in a Marital Institution. His stories have been broadcast nationally on This American Life, NPR and Marketplace, and his essays appear in the recently published anthologies, Afterbirth (St. Martin's Press) and Mr. Beller's Neighborhood (W.W. Norton). His razor-sharp wit led Time Out New York to describe him as "a comic raconteur who can hold a room captive" and Bored to Death creator Jonathan Ames to describe him as a "master storyteller". James has performed autobiographical stories in venues around the country, including The Whitney Museum, Long Wharf Theatre, Wilma Theatre, Wheeler Opera House and The Moth, where he was featured on the TNT National Story Tour and is the first two-time winner of the Moth GrandSlam storytelling competition. His full-length monologue, The Monthly Nut, directed by Seth Barrish (director of the Off Broadway hit Sleepwalk with Me) is in development at The Barrow Group Theatre. His full-length monologue, Asylum, premiered at Dixon Place, and is in development as television series with Meredith Vieira Productions.

Meredith Vieira Productions (MVP), run by Meredith Vieira and Amy Rapp, develops and produces film, TV, web, and theatre in a diverse range of tones, genres, and budgets. The company's first film RETURN, starring Linda Cardellini, Michael Shannon, and John Slattery, premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival; their feature documentary THE WOMAN WHO WASN'T THERE was watched by over 6 million viewers, breaking Investigation Discovery's ratings record; and they are the producers of the national tour of the hit Off-Broadway show LIFE IN MARITAL INSTITUTION. MVP is dedicated to producing smart and sophisticated comedies and dramas driven by authentic characters.

Founded in 2004, The New York Comedy Festival (NYCF) is now in its ninth successful year. The Festival – which is produced by Carolines on Broadway – is presented in association with Comedy Central. The week-long laugh fest brings the biggest names in comedy to New York City's most prestigious venues. Among the many comedy luminaries who have performed as part of the NYCF are Denis Leary, Dane Cook, Bill Maher, Tracy Morgan, Joy Behar, Ricky Gervais, D.L. Hughley, Steven Wright, Brian Regan, Howie Mandel, Kevin Hart, Andy Samberg, LOUIS C.K., Joel McHale, Sarah Silverman, Damon Wayans, Artie Lange, Craig Ferguson, Mike Epps, Bill Burr, Steven Wright and Drew Carey, to name a few. The 2012 NYCF will take place from November 7 – 11.