Patti Issues at Eugene O'Neill Theater Center

Authors

• Ben Rimalower

Since "PATTI ISSUES" opened in August 2012, it has become a must-see show around the world, garnering great word-of-mouth from attendees such as Tony Kushner, Alan Cumming, Laurie Metcalf, Michael Kors, Charles Busch, Billy Eichner, Justin VivIan Bond, Perez Hilton and Ms. LuPone herself ("The show's fantastic," she said. "It's really wonderful. I was moved.") Included as "Best New York Theater of 2012," The Advocate called the show "smart, poignant and dishy as hell," while it was dubbed "spellbinding" by The Village Voice and "pithy and unforgettable" by The Huffington Post. "PATTI ISSUES" received a special Bistro Award for solo play in March and won the MAC Award for "Male Debut.""PATTI ISSUES" is directed by Aaron Mark (Another Medea with Tom Hewitt, Random Unrelated Projects).

When Ben Rimalower was eight years old, his father came out of the closet and embarked on a drug-fueled tear that left his family in tatters. Amid the chaos of his young life, Ben found comfort-like so many gay boys before him and after-in musical theater, and specifically in the transportive voice of Broadway star Patti LuPone. "PATTI ISSUES" marks Rimalower's debut as a playwright and performer, after serving as the director of numerous Off-Broadway plays, concerts and all-star benefits (and blogging for the Huffington Post). With a mix of comic irreverence, stark candor and show-biz bravado, "PATTI ISSUES" poignantly explores the challenges facing LGBT parents and children while shining unique light on gay men's time-old obsessions with divas.