DREAMS IN OVERDRIVE to Premiere at Hollywood Fringe
As Jon Jacobs faced considerable internal and external struggles over the course of his life, he found something completely unexpected...a sense of humor. He also found he had a show.
Making its world premiere at The Lounge in June as part of Hollywood Fringe, Dreams in Overdrive is a psychological comedic drama that uses laughter, warmth and raw emotion to explore Jacobs' struggle with depression and anxiety as he deals with his mother, his co-workers, and the jagged, mangled mess of his own mind. A first-time Fringer, the very generous and kind - yet poorly adjusted - Jacobs delves into his struggle for personal growth and invites the audience to join him at pivotal moments in his bedroom, Paris, his life coach's office, and through the head-sucking vortex of Facebook where he discovers humor blossoming in misery.
"My struggle with mental illness has definitely impaired my ability to find a niche in my career, find romantic love in my life and confidence in myself" Jacobs said. "Even as I do this work, there's that loud voice that asks, 'Why are you doing this? Why are you wasting your time? What's the point!?' But that's why I'm doing it. Dreams in Overdrive is a show about my life, but also about all those who have ever struggled to find solid footing in their life. Life is challenging, but even with that challenge, we can heal and laugh and love."
A year ago, Jacobs hadn't even heard of the Hollywood Fringe. Then he met his director, award-winning solo show veteran Jessica Lynn Johnson (director of last year's Top of Fringe winner My Big Fat Blonde Musical) and realized he had something important and entertaining to say. The process of developing his show, like most other things in his life, has proven to be an "interesting" journey full of ups and downs, but he's proud to present the culmination of that work at Fringe.
"I knew I had this show in me and I'm incredibly proud that I set my mind to do this and I'm actually doing it," Jacobs said. "I hope audiences comes away from my show feeling that despite great struggle-in my case, depression, anxiety, self-loathing-we can still reach for our dreams. I also hope to bring some light to the darkness. There's so much shame around mental illness and I want to break some of those feelings down. One way I've found to do that is through humor. I want audiences to leave feeling the joys of laughter while also holding a deeper understanding of life's challenges. When we begin to accept all of life's incarnation-both the good and the bad-that's when we truly begin to heal."
Part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival
Sunday, June 4 - 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 10 - 4 p.m.
Friday, June 16 - 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 24 - 6 p.m.
LOCATION:
Lounge Theatre
6201 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
TICKET PRICES:
General Admission: $15
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.dreamsinoverdrive.com
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