Joe Gulla's SWIMMING TO MONGOLIA To Have World Premiere at 54 Below

Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Joe Gulla in the World Premiere Performance of his newest work, Swimming To Mongolia on January 21st at 9:30pm. This marks playwright/actor/reality star Joe Gulla's Back By Popular Demand return to the club after sold out performances of his popular The Bronx Queen.

Joe Gulla is best known for his award-winning shows, The Bronx Queen, Garbo, Gay.Porn.Mafia, Sleeping With The Fish, Reel Wood and his sold-out engagements at both 54 Below and Joe's Pub at The Public Theater. You can also catch him on HBO's upcoming White House Plumbers, Hulu's Olga Dies Dreaming, Netflix's Jigsaw, SONY Pictures Lyle Lyle Crocodile and Disney's Better Nate Than Ever.

In homage to legendary monologist Spalding Gray, Joe sits alone at a table, notebook and water bottle at the ready. This time, the piece's jumping point is the title itself.

Says the playwright, "Swimmers! Take your marks! Ha! The title invites my audience to 'dive right in'! "

"I was a huge fan of Spalding Gray back in the day. I saw all of his live performances, both large and small. Those evenings inspired and compelled me to do the same work he did: to be a storyteller in its purest form... weaving an evening's entertainment out of true tales from my own life."

"His most famous work is "Swimming To Cambodia". So, I couldn't resist titling my latest piece, "Swimming To Mongolia". It allows me to honor Spalding while, at the same time, provides entree to share one of the craziest events of my life."

"Um, ha, the time I was selected to be on an NBC reality show that had me dropped, blindfolded and broke in Mongolia's Gobi Desert! A very very strange place for Bronx-born, Italian, gay boy to be!"

"I don't want to give away too much. But, suffice to say that the metaphorical choice of returning to Mongolia in a bathing suit provides enough emotional surfeit to warrant sharing! I promise!"

BWW Reviewer Ricky Pope says, "Gulla spins the kinds of yarns that are Dickensian in their scope, where all the disparate threads converge in the final moments to cathartic effect."

This Feinstein's/54 performance of Swimming To Mongolia will also feature special guest, actor/chanteuse Susan Campanaro accompanied on piano by Gerry Dieffenbach. Susan has been a company member of the hit Off-Broadway show, Tony & Tina's Wedding in NYC, US and Japan tours for 28 years. Soon to be a motion picture, Susan also co-wrote and stars in "Missing Person", a musical based on her legendary nightlife persona, Lavinia Draper.

Joe Gulla's Swimming To Mongolia plays Feinstein's/54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on January 21st at 9:30 pm. There is a $35-$45 cover charge and $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at https://54below.com/events/joe-gulla-swimming-to-mongolia/. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00 are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.

Photo Credit: Stephen Mihalchik

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