THE MUSHROOM CURE Returns To The Marsh SF and Berkeley

Adam Strauss' 2017 hit, The Mushroom Cure, will return to The Marsh San Francisco for a limited run before transferring to The Marsh Berkeley. Inspired by a scientific study that hallucinogenic mushrooms may cure obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Strauss embarked on a program of vigilante psychopharmacology. The true tale of Strauss' hilarious, harrowing, and heartrending attempts to treat his debilitating OCD with psychedelics was an Off-Broadway hit, where it was named Critics' Pick by Time Out New York and hailed by The New York Times as "mining a great deal of laughter from disabling pain" before moving to San Francisco for an extended run. It then moved to Chicago, where the Chicago Tribune praised it as "arrestingly honest and howlingly funny," awarding it a 3.5 (out of 4) stars. The Mushroom Cure will be presented March 21 - April 11 with performances at 8:30pm Saturdays at The Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia St., San Francisco. For the second half of the show's Bay Area run, The Mushroom Cure will be presented April 18 - May 16 with performances at 8:30pm Saturdays at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. For information or to order tickets ($20-$35 sliding scale, $55-$100 reserved), the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call The Marsh box office at 415-282-3055 (open Monday through Friday, 1pm-4pm).

The Mushroom Cure, written and performed by Adam Strauss and developed with and directed by Jonathan Libman, received its West Coast Premiere in April 2017 at The Marsh San Francisco to critical acclaim and resulted in an extended 11-week run. Talkin' Broadway praised The Mushroom Cure as "a miracle of a show and a must-see," and called Strauss "a one-person tour de force." Theatrius declared it "a hilarious ride through OCD" and "a fabulous, perceptive trip," while SF Theater Blog called Strauss "one extremely talented comedian."

The show first ran in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe garnering widespread acclaim. Critics called the show "hugely intelligent and incredibly engaging," (The Scotsman) "outstanding," (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine) and "a revelation" (Broadway Baby). Strauss' riotous tale appeared next in the New York International Fringe Festival, winning the Fringe's Overall Excellence Award for Solo Performance. It then was given its Off-Broadway premiere at New York's Cherry Lane Theatre, where it had a sold-out, extended run. The Mushroom Cure was remounted in December 2017 at Off-Broadway's Theatre 80 St. Marks, where it ran continuously for over a year before closing in January 2019. This run of the acclaimed solo show is sponsored by The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), the leading psychedelic research and advocacy organization.

Based in New York City, Adam Strauss (Playwright/Performer) has won the Leffe Craft Your Character Storytelling Competition, the New York Fringe Festival's Overall Excellence Award for Solo Performance, and The Eddy Award for Best Solo Show in San Francisco. He is also a stand-up comedian who performs throughout the US and the UK. Strauss received his BA in psychology from Brown University.

Jonathan Libman (Director/Co-Developer) is a writer/director born and raised in New York. As a member of the Actor's Studio Playwrights/Directors Unit led by Lyle Kessler, he specializes in new work that includes directing Chazz Palminteri (A Bronx Tale), NEA recipient David Libman, and Dramatist Guild Fellow Nicole Pandolfo, among others. Libman studied under Off-Broadway director David Cromer (Our Town) and won a scholarship to write and direct at Tony Spiridakis' Manhattan Film Institute. His full-length plays include Accidents Waiting to Happen (RattleStick Theater Jam, Kitchen Dog Theater Finalist) and Please Leave the Light On (Bay Area Playwright's Semi-Finalist). Libman is currently developing work with the original cast members of Broadway's hit musical Hamilton and LAByrinth Theater Company. Upcoming directing projects include Rose Colored Glass by Susan Bigelow and Janice Goldberg and Kill the Buddha by Eli Walker (Drunk Yoga). Jonathan is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Dramatic Writing Program and a union member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

The Marsh is known as "a breeding ground for new performance." It was launched in 1989 by Founder and Artistic Director Stephanie Weisman, and now annually hosts more than 600 performances of 175 shows across the company's two venues in San Francisco and Berkeley. A leading outlet for solo performers, The Marsh's specialty has been hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as "solo performances that celebrate the power of storytelling at its simplest and purest." The East Bay Times named The Marsh one of Bay Area's best intimate theaters, calling it "one of the most thriving solo theaters in the nation. The live theatrical energy is simply irresistible."

For information or to order tickets visit themarsh.org or call (415) 282-3055 (Monday through Friday, 1:00pm-4:00pm).

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