Highways Performance Space presents American Standard: A Story of Enough, written by and starring Lilly Bright. Directed by award-winning soloist performer, Valerie Hager, American Standard will run from Thursday, September 19 through Saturday, September 28, 2019. This original solo show is based on Bright's true life story of surviving a near two-decade battle with bulimia and various "not-enough" demons, propelling her on an often comical, always poignant search for a cure, resulting in discovery of a path to imperfect wholeness and, ultimately, the courage to finally feel enough.
Highways Performance Space is located at the 18th Street Arts Center (1651 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404). Tickets are $25 for general admission and $15 for students. For more information and tickets, please visit http://americanstandardshow.com.
With a run-time of 80 minutes, there will be seven American Standard shows to choose from between the 19th and 28th of September: three per weekend on Thursday, Friday and Saturday plus a Monday show on September 23. All shows but one are scheduled for 8:30pm. On the first Saturday (September 21) there will be a matinee at 2:00pm instead of an evening show. Recommended ages for audience members is 14+.
What initially starts out as a coping mechanism to a chaotic childhood, bulimia quickly becomes a full-blown addiction and the focal point of Bright's life beginning in rural West Virginia. Relentless, determined, and bristling with grit, Bright searches endlessly for an end-all-be-all "cure," from treatment centers to comical New Age practices to chance encounters with sage and colorful characters. Eventually, and under surprising circumstances, Bright triumphs in a city notorious for sun and superficiality. And finally, led by courage and heart, Lilly Bright discovers how the things she feared the most could in fact become the keys to her freedom. The freedom to finally be....enough.
Bright reflects, "This is the most personal work I've done to date. This is the work I will be most proud of no matter what happens because I've taken my biggest secret and made it public. If the show has a message it's this: discover how your greatest fears can, in fact, be the keys to your freedom. I want to show people that it's possible-when we truly face our fears we discover they actually set us free. It's a paradox, and it's true."
Videos