Ryan O'Connor to Debut VOTE, PRAY, LOVE at Rockwell: Table & Stage

Ryan O'Connor will introduce his new show "Vote, Pray, Love," directed by Marissa Jaret Winokur, on Monday, December 4th, at Rockwell: Table & Stage.

In 2016, Ryan O'Connor took a break from show business to work as a Field Organizer for the Hillary Clinton Presidential campaign in Pontiac, Michigan. His brand new cabaret show "VOTE, PRAY, LOVE" is the exploration of how his 150 pound weight loss, sobriety from drug and alcohol abuse after a rock bottom at Disneyland, a career implosion, a sudden divorce and praying to the spirit of Elizabeth Taylor lead to his unlikely turn as a campaign organizer for Hillary Clinton and redemption in the middle of nowhere, all told through his uniquely comic and vulnerable voice, story and song, in an exciting, engaging and emotionally cathartic night of entertainment.

"VOTE, PRAY, LOVE" marks Ryan O'Connor's return to Rockwell Table & Stage with his first autobiographical cabaret show since his highly lauded cabaret debut, "Ryan O'Connor EATS HIS FEELINGS", in 2009. That show landed Ryan on The Oprah Winfrey Show, People Magazine, The Advocate 40 Under 40 and many other opportunities that shot him in to a new and wildly varied career as an actor and entertainment personality. H recently appeared in the world premiere of Fat Mike/Soma Snakeoil/Jeff Marx's musical, Home Street Home, a recurring role on HBO's massive hit, Big Little Lies (ask him about Nicole Kidman and the Keurig machine), appearing in his underwear on How I Met Your Mother, a weird stint as a wedding planner on a "reality" show called Hollywood Hillbillies, some time as one of Giada DeLaurentis' "friends" on her cooking show, Giada Entertains, that time he got in over his head trying to understand finances with Suze Orman on OWN, and several other benchmark achievements. Additionally, Ryan has published essays on his dramatic weight loss and being an unexpected pioneer in gay divorce, as well as co-hosting the popular podcast, LadyWatch with Ryan and Jason, LadyWatchPod.com, the only podcast dedicated to celebrating women over the age of Celine Dion.

Tony Award winner Marissa Jaret Winokur directs this world premiere cabaret show at Rockwell Table & Stage, with musical direction by Emily Rosenfield.

"VOTE, PRAY, LOVE" will be performed on Monday, December 4th at 8:00 PM. Both are at Rockwell Table & Stage (1714 N Vermont Ave, Los Feliz, CA 90027). Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased www.Rockwell-LA.com.

Ryan O'Connor is an actor, writer and entertainment personality best known for his work as cabaret performer and television appearances. In 2009, Ryan was selected by Oprah Winfrey out 0f 19,000 applicants to be one of the 10 contestants on "Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search For the Next TV Star." The show, though unfortunately not a ratings bonanza, gave Ryan the opportunity to appear on the final season of The Oprah Winfrey Show where Oprah generously endorsed Ryan's solo cabaret show, Ryan O'Connor Eats His Feelings, and subsequently launching a successful Off-Broadway engagement.

As an actor, Ryan has appeared most recently opposite Reese Witherspoon on the Emmy Award Winning HBO series, Big Little Lies, as well as in his underwear on CBS' How I Met Your Mother and in the films School of Rock and A Beautiful Mind. On stage, Ryan has created and cultivated the role of Big John in the New York bound musical, Home Street Home, by Fat Mike, Jeff Marx and Soma Snakeoil, in San Francisco and at The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. He recently helped entertain audiences as a gay millennial narrator of sorts in the Unauthorized Musical Parody of Mean Gurlz at Rockwell Table & Stage in LA.

As a personality, Ryan has appeared as versions of himself on various "reality" shows including as a "wedding planner" on Hollywood Hillbillies, as one of Giada DeLaurentis' friends on Giada Entertains and Giada's Holiday Handbook, an insane New Yorker on The Caroline Rhea Show, and of course all thiose insane interviews he did on the Oprah reality show, including Suze Orman, Vera Wang, Dr Phil, Arsenio Hall and Daisy Fuentes.

Ryan's favorite and proudest achievement is his podcast, LadyWatch with Ryan and Jason, with his best friend and co-host, Jason Powell. LadyWatch is the only podcast dedicated to celebrating women over the age of Celine Dion and a percentage of all income generated by the podcast and it's merchandise goes to the Geena Davis Institute On Gender In Media.

In 2016, Ryan left show business briefly after a sudden divorce and some personal calamities to be of service working as a Field Organizer for the Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign in Pontiac, Michigan. His time on that campaign and in his personal life are chronicled in his new autobiographical cabaret show, "VOTE, PRAY, LOVE."

Follow Ryan on Twitter @RyanOConnor and at www.ladywatchpod.com.

Marissa Jaret Winokur is best known for creating the role of "Tracy Turnblad" in the hit Broadway musical Hairspray, a performance for which she won a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress. As Hairspray reached the end of its Broadway run, Winokur returned to close the show, reviving her role as the zaftig lead.

Winokur danced her way into the hearts of America on the hit ABC series, Dancing With the Stars, where her stellar performance and fan-favorite personality placed her 4th in the competition. She has been seen co-starring with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon in the Farrelly Brothers film Fever Pitch from Fox 2000, and on the hit comedy Stacked with Pamela Anderson on FOX. Winokur also starred on the TBS comedy, Retired at 35. Winokur was most recently seen in the final season of HBO's Girls and opposite RuPaul's Drag Race winner Bianca Del Rio in Not Today Bianca on Logo. A native of New York, Marissa started her career on the stage, appearing as "Jan" in the Broadway production of Grease. After moving to Los Angeles, Marissa quickly landed roles in the features Teaching Mrs. Tingle and Never Been Kissed. These were followed by her memorable roles in Scary Movie and American Beauty, where she immortalized the phrase "You are so busted." In television, she starred alongside Fran Drescher and Mark Consuelos in the ABC Family Channel romantic comedy Beautiful Girl. Winokur also Executive Produced the film, which was the network's highest rated original movie of the year. Marissa was also the host of the Oxygen Network's highest rated cable reality premiere, Dance Your Ass Off, and as a regular co-host/correspondent on CBS' The Talk. Marissa has recurred on Dharma and Greg and Moesha, and her guest starring roles include Scream Queens, Playing House, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Melissa and Joey, Jack and Bobby, Just Shoot Me, Felicity, and Get Real. Marissa recently made her directorial debut with the smash hit parody musical of Bridesmaids at Rockwell Table & Stage. She, her husband, comedy writer, Judah Miller and their son Zev reside in Los Angeles.

Marissa Jaret Winokur can be found on Twitter @MarissaJaretWinokur.

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