Carol opens with a question that hits immediately: “Are we born crazy or does life make you crazy?” It is a strong line, and for a moment, it feels like the show is about to lock into a clear thematic path. She launches into a reflection on motherhood, describing it as “like skydiving,” a plunge from chaos into calm and then back again. That same pattern defines the entire piece. Moments of clarity emerge, then dissolve into disorder. The central issue is execution. Carol for

“It Ends With Guinea Pigs” closed the United Solo Festival with force and unusual charm. Diana Gitelman delivers a performance that moves through hope, love, defeat, and perseverance with a confidence that makes even the strangest material feel inevitable. The show begins in a way that seems almost deliberately confusing. The concept feels too odd to hold. Yet the chaos becomes its own language, and the tale of guinea pigs slowly reveals itself as an entry point into generati

Bill Hartung’s “I Get No Respect” arrives as one of the most unexpectedly eye-opening political comedy shows to land in New York this season. Hartung strips the foreign policy world of its jargon and pretension and replaces it with something far more dangerous: the truth, told plainly and with a sense of humor sharp enough to cut through years of professional frustration. The show works because Hartung refuses to mythologize himself. Instead, he leans into the idea of being a

“In the Elevator” is a sharp and unsettling dive into the interior life of a man who carries more turmoil than he ever shows to the world. Ika Gogoladze delivers a performance that is both explosive and deeply controlled. He commits to the character with a level of precision that makes every gesture feel charged. The piece unfolds like a storm. The old saying "when it rains, it pours" feels engineered for this production. Minutes compress into seconds as the character ricoche

Nargiz Alizada’s solo performance is a clear eyed journey through heritage, displacement, and the ongoing work of becoming American on one’s own terms. As a modern day immigrant from the former Soviet Union, she recounts her story with an honesty that lands somewhere between confession and celebration. The writing blends personal history, poetic reflection, and sharply observed humor. Alizada moves from long stretches of waiting for a job to frustrating encounters with Americ

“The Game To Play” is a compact piece that feels larger than its twenty-five-minute frame. From the opening moment, Iryna Scarola builds a slow burn of thriller-like tension that steadily expands into something far more lyrical. Her rebirth dance sequence is the highlight of the work. It is haunting, fluid, and charged with a sense of transformation that stays with you long after the lights shift. Scarola leads us through a near-death experience inside a hospital, then pulls

Keith Varney’s solo show “Ten Times I Should Have Known I Was Autistic” is the kind of production that sneaks up on you. It arrives as a comedy, delivered with the confidence of a seasoned performer, yet it quietly expands into something far more ambitious. What begins as self-deprecating humor turns into an invitation to rethink how we understand autism and how much is missed when people are left to decode their own minds. Varney approaches the subject with unguarded honesty

The Mountain, Malt Liquor, My Mom & Me , performed by Mary Regan, is a piece that traces a pivotal hiking trip and the unexpected lessons that followed. Regan folds together stories of family, friendships, recovery, identity, and even an introduction to the world of Drag Kings, shaping these threads into a narrative that motivates, surprises, and invites reflection. Her ability to navigate both difficult memories and lighter observations gives the piece momentum and depth fro

Intact: One Woman’s Search for Home , written and performed by Robin Colucci, is a lively solo piece that blends comedy, song, and personal storytelling. Colucci’s performance is energetic and engaging, inviting the audience into a journey that explores childhood memories, identity, and the search for purpose. Beneath the humor, the piece examines the challenge of holding a life together while navigating internal struggles and past relationships. Colucci’s willingness to show

The Secret Poetess of Terezín by Lenka Lichtenberg weaves together music, memory, and history with extraordinary care. Through songs and spoken reflections inspired by writings from the Terezín concentration camp during World War II, Lichtenberg offers a performance that feels both powerful and meticulously shaped. Her vocal delivery and musical interpretation create an emotional landscape that honors the weight of the material without ever overwhelming it. The simple piano-

Light , performed by Xue “Snow” Zeng Hwang, is a visually striking and emotionally nuanced solo piece that explores themes of growth, resilience, and self-discovery. Hwang employs expressive movement and physical storytelling to guide the audience on a journey shaped by personal challenges, inner conflict, and a desire for connection. Her use of body language creates clarity and emotional depth, allowing the audience to follow the narrative through gesture, rhythm, and physic

A Social Activist Comedy , written and performed by Kevin J. Chaplin, blends drag-infused humor, character work, and social commentary into an energetic solo performance. Chaplin opens the show with a bold first character, a teacher at an elite Manhattan school, which sets the tone for the series of comedic personas that follow. Over the course of the hour, he shifts between more than ten characters, each with a distinct personality and storyline. While the character changes

Queen of the World is a thoughtful and engaging solo piece that blends humor, memory, and personal storytelling with a striking sense of style. The performer brings a strong presence to the stage, weaving together moments of vulnerability, sharp observation, and emotional complexity. The structure of the piece allows the audience to move fluidly through different chapters of her life, creating a sense of intimacy and connection. Visually, the production is both unique and ele

Mother’s Day is a solo performance that explores the joys, challenges, and unexpected turns of motherhood through a blend of storytelling, humor, and emotional reflection. Susan Chase takes the audience through various stages of her life, offering candid insights into her family, identity, and the shifting roles that come with being both a mother and a daughter. With warmth and an inviting presence, she shares moments that resonate deeply, some of which are about love, loss,

MOM WTF!  is an unflinching, funny, and deep exploration of motherhood, womanhood, and the unpredictable turns life can take. Performed and written by Carol Johnson and presented for one night only at the United Solo Festival, this solo show offered an unforgettable blend of humor, vulnerability, and emotional truth. Johnson’s stage presence is magnetic from the moment she steps onto the stage. Her costumes and stage presence drown the audience in creativity and theatrical ar

An Evening With Great Irish Writers is a heartfelt and engaging solo performance by Neil O’Shea, presented at the United Solo Festival. O’Shea brings a collection of Irish stories, characters, and traditions to life with a mix of warmth, humor, and expressive storytelling. His performance blends classical influences with contemporary clarity, making the material accessible and resonant for an American audience. Throughout the show, O’Shea moves seamlessly between personaliti

Snapshots  is a powerful celebration of womanhood, beautifully performed by Alice Christine Hughes with musical direction and accompaniment by Rachel Bradley. From the very first moment, Hughes’s voice filled the space with warmth and emotional depth, creating a musical harmony that carried throughout the entire evening. Bradley’s work at the piano was equally compelling; her playing grounded the performance and elevated every moment, perfectly complementing Hughes’s vocals.

Memorable and glamorous defined the evening of Judy's Encore , performed by Ali Harper. From the moment the music began, with Matthew Everingham on piano and Hillai Govreen on clarinet, the audience was transported into Judy Garland's world. The performance evokes the singer's later years, when her life on stage and in smoky piano lounges reflected her brilliance and longing for the past. I wasn't looking for a traditional plot or a tidy arc of hope. Instead, the show invited

In Therapist Zero , Brian Leonard delivers a TED Talk–style solo show that mixes humor, honesty, and reflection to explore the complexities of therapy, self-awareness, and personal growth. The piece examines what happens when professional boundaries blur and how one's relationship with a therapist can reveal deeper truths about healing and control. Through anecdotes drawn from his own experiences, Leonard navigates therapy's awkward, funny, and sometimes painful realities. He

Written and performed by Ana Sophia Colón, Puerto Rico es una Cama Twin is a fierce, funny, and heartfelt solo show that explores the complexities of family, identity, and survival through a Puerto Rican lens. Directed by Cándido Tirado, the piece blends humor, heartbreak, and cultural pride as Colón shape-shifts through generations of women, revealing the strength it takes to carry and sometimes break the cycles we inherit. Before Colón even steps on stage, Latin music fill