Ben Rimalower's PATTI ISSUES Returns to New York This Weekend

BEN RIMALOWER: "PATTI ISSUES" -- the hit solo play -- will return to The Duplex for two performances only this weekend, November 21 and 22 at 9:30 PM.

When Ben's debut play Patti Issues opened in 2012, it became a must-see show in the downtown theater scene, ultimately running for 14 months and garnering praise from attendees such as Alan Cumming, Tony Kushner, Michael Kors, Justin Vivian Bond, Perez Hilton and Ms. LuPone herself. ("The show's fantastic," she said. "It's really wonderful. I was moved.")

Rimalower has performed Patti Issues in Australia, Germany and Great Britain, as well as across the country in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Miami Beach, Provincetown, Fire Island and more. Ben is currently starring in his second solo play, Bad with Money, which runs at The Duplex through December 18.

When Ben Rimalower was eight years old, his father came out of the closet and embarked on a drug-fueled tear that left his family in tatters. Amid the chaos of his young life, Ben found comfort -- like so many gay boys before him and after-in musical theater, and specifically in the transportive voice of Broadway star Patti LuPone. "PATTI ISSUES" marks Rimalower's debut as a playwright and performer, after serving as the director of numerous Off-Broadway plays, concerts and all-star benefits (and blogging for the Huffington Post). With a mix of comic irreverence, stark candor and show-biz bravado, "PATTI ISSUES" poignantly explores the challenges facing LGBT parents and children while shining unique light on gay men's time-old obsessions with divas.

More information is at www.PattiIssues.com.

BEN RIMALOWER is the author and star of Off-Off-Broadway's long-running, critically acclaimed smash hit solo play Patti Issues (M.A.C. and Bistro Awards, Official Selection: Adelaide Cabaret Festival and Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Summer Conference), which he continues to perform on land and at sea all around the world, while two-time Tony nominee Robin De Jesus played "Ben Rimalower" in Patti Issues in New York and the Virginia's Richmond Triangle Players mounted the monodrama's recent regional premiere. His "Do You Have Patti Issues?" PSA with Alan Cumming and Patti LuPone was a homepage selection on FunnyOrDie. He writes for Playbill and The Huffington Post and his short story, Little Old Sam, was published as part of The Rex Factor.

Ben directed and produced the Off-Broadway plays Joy (Actors Playhouse, Out Magazine: "Top Ten Theatre") and The Fabulous Life of a Size Zero (Daryl Roth/DR2 Theatre). He also directed Justin Sayre Is Alive And Well...Writing (Ars Nova), Project Lohan (La MaMa E.T.C.), Snoopy! starring Sutton Foster (Symphony Space), And/or (Hot Festival), Sodom the Musical (Kraine Theatre) and the all-star Night Of A Thousand Judys (Playwrights Horizons) as well as staged readings for Second Stage, The York, Dixon Place and Ensemble Studio Theatre. He conceived and directed Leslie Kritzer is Patti LuPone at Les Mouches (Time Out New York Award) and subsequently produced Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight Records' long- awaited recording, Patti LuPone at Les Mouches (Billboard "Heatseekers" Chart), digitally restored from archival tapes of LuPone's legendary 1980 performances. In venues such as Joe's Pub, San Francisco's Plush Room and Los Angeles' Upright Cabaret, Ben has earned the title the "Midas of Cabaret" (The Advocate) helming a slew of solo shows for artists including Erin Markey, Alec Mapa, Cole Escola, Our Lady J, Natalie Joy Johnson, Lindsey Alley, Molly Pope, Wendy Ho, John Hill, Scott Nevins, Kate Pazakis and Lance Horne, in addition to producing and hosting the Laurie Beechman Theatre's recurring variety show, "Saturday Night Underground." As a performer, Ben has been featured on Bravo TV's "Watch What Happens Live," ABC's "Extreme Makeover," "Our Hit Parade," Murray Hill's Oscar Night show, Billy Eichner and Rachel Dratch's "Halloween Adventure" and as both Patti LuPone and Elaine Stritch in "You Like Me."

Assistant Director credits include Lonny Price's productions of A Class Act (Manhattan Theatre Club, Broadway and Tokyo) and A Little Night Music (starring Patti LuPone, George Hearn and Zoe Caldwell) as well as the Emmy-winning Sweeney Todd. Ben studied Theatre Arts at U.C. Berkeley where he was the founding Artistic Director of BareStage (now celebrating its 19th anniversary). Follow @benrimalower on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube and visit benrimalower.com.

AARON MARK is a New York-based playwright, director, and filmmaker. His play Another Medea, starring Tom Hewitt, was last presented at the Cherry Lane Studio Theatre, and his other plays have been developed by New York Theatre Workshop, Theater for the New City, the Blank Theatre, and American Theater Group. Directing credits include The Mystery of Irma Vep for Berkshire Theatre Group, Ben Rimalower's award-winning monodrama, Patti Issues, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch at New World Stages for BC/EFA. His independent feature films are Commentary, Random Unrelated Projects, Do Not Duplicate (upcoming) and the documentary Zbornik Developing. He is a NYTW Usual Suspect. Visit him at aaronmark.net.

BEN RIMALOWER: "PATTI ISSUES" will be performed at The Duplex (61 Christopher Street at Seventh Ave, New York, NY 10014) on November 21 and 22 at 9:30 PM. Tickets are $25 (with $50 VIP tickets available) and are on sale at PurplePass.com or (800) 316-8559. There is a two-drink minimum per person. You must be at least 21 years old to attend.

Photo Credit: Allison Michael

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