I SUCK: A Vampire Comedy at Hobgoblin Playhouse

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 15, 2026

Hollywood Fringe Festival is proud to present the WORLD PREMIERE of the darkly funny solo show “I SUCK: A Vampire Comedy” written and performed by Derek Heeren at The Hobgoblin Playhouse.

"I SUCK: A Vampire Comedy” makes audiences laugh while sinking their teeth into the deeper question: What good is eternal life if you're not really living?

For Stan, being a vampire really sucks. He’s made every wrong choice for centuries. Instead of powers and riches, all he has to show for it is an eternal midlife crisis. He's stuck in a dead-end job as a middle manager in Toledo, living paycheck to paycheck, haunted by centuries of catastrophically bad decisions. His latest crisis? After realizing he feels a kinship with every human—they're all his descendants, technically—Stan finds himself unable to feed and sets out to escape his vampire contract. He embarks on a supernatural journey from heaven to hell, encountering everyone from a chatty St. Peter to a bored demon named Larry to Satan himself.

Directed by Guy Picot and produced by Jessica Glassberg, “I SUCK: A Vampire Comedy” is simultaneously a unique exploration of one character’s failure to launch over the course of a millennia, and a relatable reflection of the overwhelming obstacles we all face. (Well, a reflection for all except Stan… ya know… vampire.)

SHOW BIOS:

Derek Heeren is an award-winning actor and published writer who is thrilled to debut his one-vampire show at this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival. Derek has been performing since he was 10 and is proud to have been guided through his acting journey by such esteemed directors as Garry Marshall and has performed alongside the likes of Academy Award winner, Anne Hathaway. Selections of his written work are included in the Comedic Monologues That Are Actually Funny series from Hal Leonard Publishing. Heeren currently works in post-production, bringing films to life for Netflix, DreamWorks, Universal, Paramount, Disney and most recently Amazon. Derek hails from Bloomington, MN, and attended college in St. Paul, MN where he graduated with a BA in theatre arts from Bethel College (which has, itself, now graduated to Bethel University).

Director Guy Picot is a Hollywood Fringe veteran having previously directed B+ Moms, Earth to Karen and Disasteroid. As an actor, Picot played Charlie Chaplin in the award-winning “Stoneface” at Pasadena Playhouse and Sacred Fools. Additionally, in the UK, he wrote episodes of the network shows Bad Girls and Footballers’ Wives. Producer Jessica Glassberg just wrapped the currently airing season of the FOX game show The Quiz with Balls as a Content Producer. Previously at NBCUniversal, Glassberg won 3 GEMA Awards with her portfolio including The Olympics, The Tonight Show, and America’s Got Talent. Glassberg has also written and produced narrative television and movies for Disney, Lifetime, and Moonbug Entertainment, as well as numerous live event shows including the SAG Awards. Jessica co-produces and performs on a monthly comedy show Coming in Hot and has seen her original monologues and poems published by Hal Leonard Publishing and Post Hill Press.

WHAT: I SUCK: A Vampire Comedy WHO: Written and performed by Derek Heeren; Directed by Guy Picot; Produced by: Jessica Glassberg

WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Monday, June 8 (PREVIEW) 5:30 p.m. Friday, June 12 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 20 WHERE: The Hobgoblin Playhouse (Main Stage) 1516 N Gardner St. Los Angeles, CA 90046

HOW MUCH: $15 RUNNING TIME: 60 minutes TICKETS: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/14342?tab=tickets SHOW INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/isuck_avampirecomedy/

Hi-resolution rehearsal and poster images available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rAQG2RQYDNHqiZx_QKFRZmrn5cEjcXxD

Find full EPK here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_tYDYMpaLI9YPGtFlXWsUBNGkHy-Jbn8?usp=sharing

For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact Jessica Glassberg at Jessica.Glassberg@gmail.com