A Life Behind Bars at Whitefire Theatre

Let’s get this out of the way right now: A Life Behind Bars is NOT about incarceration. It’s about a bartender.

A Life Behind Bars is Dan Ruth’s autobiographical dark solo comedy. As a young man in New York, establishing himself as a writer and actor, he took on a job to pay for his rent and groceries until his big break would come. That job was bartending. Dan found he had a certain proficiency for it and was in demand. He also enjoyed the social aspects of it, meeting people, talking to people, the party atmosphere, the occasional gay fling. Being behind the bar put him in proximity to the adult beverages his clientele loved. He enjoyed the libations, too, sometimes too much.

9/11 happened. The gentrification and Disneyfication and Giulianification of Manhattan followed. Dive bars ceased to be in fashion. New York wasn’t fun anymore.

There are eight million stories in the naked city, and Dan will introduce you to a bunch of colorful characters in the course of his narrative. New York was a party, and you’ll get to join in on the fun.

Photo credit: Tolga Reis.