Lauren Weedman Brings BLOWS To City Winery June 18th
Award-winning actress returns to the stage with new show.
By: Stephen Mosher Jun. 02, 2023
Lauren Weedman RETURNS TO THE STAGE WITH
A BRAND NEW SHOW
Lauren Weedman BLOWS is a one-woman show for people who hate one-woman shows.
Award-winning comedic actress, (HACKS, ABBOTT ELEMENTARY, EUPHORIA, LOOKING) playwright, and author Lauren Weedman returns to the stage with Lauren Weedman BLOWS, a new comedy cabaret solo adventure at City Winery NYC on June 18, 2023 (Ticket link HERE).
Lauren Weedman BLOWS is a wry, contemporary look at what it means to be a single mom, an artist, and a woman in today's creative economy. It is an exploration of what happens in the invisible second half of a woman's life, the part after all the traditional stories end and divorce, menopause, and impending financial collapse begin, while pursuing a career in the arts and resisting looming pressures to pack it up and get a "real job." It's a search for a Third Act - for survival, honesty, and normalcy in an increasingly isolated, digital society.
"It's a show about single mothers, art, bankruptcy, isolation, survival, and dishwashers all blowing the same fuse over and over again in your shit apartment," said Weedman. "Blowing your life. Blowing your dreams. Your mind—you get it. Lots of blows."
"The economics of being a woman working, juggling the demands of single parenting, are broken," says Executive Producer Sandy Cioffi. "Whether that work is in nursing, teaching, or the arts, the numbers just don't add up. Lauren's had lots of successes – we can turn on prime time and see her playing Melissa's sister on ABBOT ELEMENTARY, Mayor Jo on HACKS, and Jules' therapist on EUPHORIA, but still, it's a struggle to pay for the basics, like childcare and rent. Lauren Weedman BLOWS pulls back the veil on the neo-liberal madness and gives voice to the vulnerabilities we're all facing. It's broken, and it blows."
Lauren Weedman BLOWS is a show in development, where Lauren is experimenting with and refining the material each time she's on stage. Seventy-five percent of the show is scripted, and twenty-five percent is discovered during the performance.
"To me, that seems more fun, to be a little terrified on stage, to keep it more present. You're not going to watch a rehearsal, but I am working out material with the audience live. There's an energy to it when you know it's happening right now," says Weedman.
Joining Weedman on stage is musical guest Tim Young. Having played with countless musical greats like Beck, Fiona Apple, John Legend, and Todd Rundgren, he is now the guitarist for the house band on THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH James Corden.
"All the things that made me edgy in my 30s and 40s now make me sound cracky in my 50s. It's the perfect show for queer folks, women folk, middle-aged folks, parents, foreign doctors, and performers who need that 'well, I can do that' inspiration!" says Weedman.
Lauren Weedman BLOWS is on stage June 18 at 8:00 PM at City Winery's City Vineyard NYC. Tickets range from $30-$40 and can be purchased on the City Winery website HERE.
"BLOWS" promises to offer a hilariously cathartic return to the arena of live performance" -The Daily
"A prolific solo performer [and] a fearlessly self-lacerating monologuist" -The Seattle Times
About Lauren Weedman:
Lauren Weedman started her career in Seattle with Homecoming, a 15-minute performance at On the Boards that also ran off-Broadway in NYC. She has written and performed over eleven solo plays, including Bust, about her work in the LA County Jail, which was awarded a Macdowell Fellowship for playwriting. Lauren works extensively in television and film: Abbott Elementary, Hacks, Euphoria, Looking, The Daily Show, True Blood, United States of Tara, Reno 911, Curb Your Enthusiasm, New Girl, Arrested Development, and Hung. She's the author of Miss Fortune: Fresh Perspectives on Having it All from Someone Who is NOT OKAY and hosts the popular Moth storytelling slam in Santa Monica. For more information, visit laurenweedman.com.
About Tim Young:
Tim Young is a guitarist and composer who lives in Los Angeles. He is the musical director for the Late Late Show with James Corden on CBS, where he has performed with everyone from Lady Gaga to Kermit the Frog. As a session guitarist, he has worked with Rosanne Cash, KD. Lang, Mark Lanegan, and Beck. You'll hear his playing on TV soundtracks such as NBC's "Hannibal," AMC's "Boss" and Starz' "American Gods," as well as movies like 30 Days of Night, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Birds of Prey, and Red Riding Hood. He continues to pursue his lifelong passion for composing and recording songs with his friends, with a growing discography of releases under his name. For more information, visit timyoungmusic.bandcamp.com.
About The Producers:
Lauren Weedman BLOWS is a production of Lauren Weedman, OUTRAGE ONSTAGE (Brad Cerenzia), and FEARLESS CREATIVE (Sandy Cioffi and Gretchen Burger). Bringing backgrounds in the arts, live performance, theater and media production, and innovation design, this team has come together to produce the Lauren Weedman BLOWS showcase, as well as adjacent projects experimenting with creative solutions for future economics where single moms and artists thrive.
Press photos by Ernie Sapiro
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