Before The Drugs Kick In made its world premiere at the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
After a 10 show residency at UNDER St. Marks, The Edinburgh Fringe Hit moves to Long Island City, Queens for 12 performances in January, officially qualifying the show and Maria DeCotis for the Drama Desk Awards.
A 62-year-old woman in an insane asylum closes her eyes and becomes a 28-year-old stand-up comedian with everyone in the audience being part of her imagination. This is Before The Drugs Kick In. Playing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in January at the Court Square Theater in Long Island City.
Inspired by personal experience, the delivery (not material) of Dave Chappelle, Christopher Nolan films, Netflix's Russian Doll and HBO's Hacks, the show is an intimate blend of stand-up, theatre and time travel starring NYC comedian and actress Maria DeCotis* (Broadway, Vogue, Rolling Stone) as comedian Lynn T. Walsh.
The show is dedicated to anyone, especially young mothers of the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, who society wrote off as crazy instead of giving them an opportunity to live.
Before The Drugs Kick In made its world premiere at the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe to multiple five and four star reviews while being nominated for two of the biggest awards at the largest arts festival in the world, the BBC Writersroom Popcorn Award for Best New Writing and the Mental Health Foundation Fringe Award. The play is written, directed and produced by comedian and playwright Mike Lemme with movement direction by Mandy Gordon.
Content Warning: Before The Drugs Kick In contains distressing themes with strong language and mentions of suicide but it's also full of punchlines too.
Tickets can be purchased for $25 or $15 for anyone experiencing financial hardship.
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