Blackout - No Hard Feelings at Zephyr Theatre

Kerri Van Auken’s darkly comic trip about the power of emotions Blackout - No Hard Feelings is directed by and developed with Jessica Lynn Johnson. The Soaring Solo Studios’ production is set for three performances at the Zephyr Theatre (7456 Melrose Ave, 90046) in Hollywood Fringe Festival 2025. 

In this dark and sometimes silly tale, we follow Mary Lynn, a seemingly sunny, middle-aged woman in arrested development with a predilection for escapism and pretending in every way—including that she’s “just fine!”

She’s lost her job, husband, purpose and (sometimes) dignity and is realizing life’s not turning out like she expected. With one fateful bite of cake, she unwittingly takes a trip inside her own head to confront the feelings she spent a lifetime blocking—and blacking—out.

Kerri Van Auken is an actor, writer, creator and educator based out of  Pasadena, California by way of Chicago and Washington state. She holds an MFA in theater performance from Roosevelt University in Chicago. 

While working in theater and film in Chicago she studied improv comedy and formed the female sketch comedy duo Size Eight, which performed in festivals across the country. She was also the co-creator of a live action and animation, sketch comedy web series - Sanfauken. Upon moving to LA, Kerri continued her comedy studies at UCB and  developed and co-wrote another web series called ‘Fridgeboy’ about a half-man/half-fridge.

Her passion for comedy fed into her love of teaching as she became an educator in drama and improv for kids through adults and college level masters candidates. In delving in the stand-up comedy, Kerri met her current partner and formed Jo-Kers - where we hosted and produced  mics and shows all over LA and the San Gabriel Valley. 

Today you might see Kerri acting in films, commercials, web series, etc, but you will definitely find her in her studio auditioning for those things. That is, unless she’s busy delighting herself and others by creating her silly brand of off-beat yet familiar characters like ‘Party Congresswoman’, ‘70’s Mom’ and ‘Jet Set Environmentalist’. 

Always Be Creating - Kerri is committed to creating space for fun and freedom of individual expression. As long as you don’t take yourself too seriously. 

Director, Developer, Jessica Lynn Johnson is a published playwright, recipient of BEST NATIONAL SOLO ARTIST AWARD, Advisory Board Member of the LA Women's Theatre Festival, 2024 Recipient of LAWTF Rainbow Award <---this is said BELOW too - so just keep it BELOW and take it out here, Co Executive Producer of the Joshua Tree Solo Theatre Festival, and Founder & CEO of Soaring Solo Studios International. Jessica has aided in the development, direction and producing of over 150 solo shows <----175 solo shows (and still going strong)! As a performer, Jessica has “edu-tained” international audiences touring her own one person shows ZE and OBLIVIOUS TO EVERYONE for over 15 years. Jessica's projects have taken home awards such as TOP OF FRINGE, HFF ENCORE PRODUCER AWARDS, TVOLUTION BEST SOLO PERFORMANCE, LARRY CORNWALL AWARD FOR MUSICAL EXCELLENCE & several other accolades! Jessica was also awarded the LAWTF Rainbow Award in 2024 and was nominated for the Female Director of Distinction in Theatre by Girl Trip LLC at the 2018 Hollywood Fringe Festival & Best Director of a Play by Broadway World 2023. http://www.SoaringSoloStudios.com

With the help of an irresistible cast of characters including Dr. Dom, Mistress of Emotions and Holly, a spiritualist in an unexpected form, Mary Lynn faces her greatest agents of escape: Boys and Booze. Will she return from this head trip victorious, or is she doomed to spend her remaining years in a blackout?