Vivid Stage's Spring Solos Feature THE ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS OF LEONARD PELKEY

Vivid Stage, in residence at Oakes Center at 120 Morris Avenue in Summit, begins with 101 Humiliating Stories by Lisa Kron from April 13 through 16, kicking off their three-week Spring Solos Series. Second in the series is The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey by James Lecesne; third is Harry Clarke by David Cale. Each of the three solo shows explores the many dimensions that every person contains, and allows each actor to portray a multitude of characters along the way.

On April 20-23, The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey by James Lecesne will be directed by Joshua Schnetzer and performed by Scott McGowan (Maplewood), a member of the Vivid Stage ensemble. One actor portrays every character in a small Jersey Shore town as he unravels the story of Leonard Pelkey, a tenaciously optimistic and flamboyant fourteen-year-old boy who goes missing. A luminous force of nature whose magic is only truly felt once he is gone, Leonard becomes an unexpected inspiration as the town's citizens question how they live, who they love, and what they leave behind.

In 2015, Charles Isherwood of the New York Times said, "Mr. Lecesne is a writer of wit and keen observational skills, who here unfolds a dark tale that shimmers with the needling suspense you associate with the best police procedurals." Colin Fleming-Stumpf of Broadway World said that the play "is equal parts hilarious, heart-wrenching, and poignant, reminding us all to embrace and celebrate our differences, and that acceptance is unfortunately still something to be fought for."

The first show in the series, 101 Humiliating Stories, runs April 13 through 16. In this comedy, we dive deep into the universal experience of humiliation. In this one-woman show, the actor shares a series of humiliations past, present, and future, including exquisitely detailed anecdotes like "Geeky Celebrity Encounters" and "How I Spent All the Petty Cash From My Office on Makeup." An invitation to perform at her high school reunion in Lansing, Michigan, triggers another series of anxiety-filled fantasies. How will she, a lesbian East Village performance artist, cope with her Midwestern classmates? 101 Humiliating Stories is evocative, moving, and overall hilarious.

On April 27-30, Harry Clarke by David Cale will be directed by Betsy True (Montclair) and performed by Clark Carmichael (West Milford), a member of the Vivid Stage ensemble. Harry Clarke is the story of a shy midwestern man who feels more himself when adopting the persona of cocky Londoner Harry Clarke. Moving to New York and presenting himself as an Englishman, he charms his way into a wealthy family's life, romancing two family members as the seductive and sexually precocious Harry, with more on his mind than love. With his spellbinding and emotionally nuanced storytelling, Cale has created a riveting story of a man leading an outrageous double life.

101 Humiliating Stories will appear at Vivid Stage at 120 Morris Avenue in Summit from April 13 through April 16. The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey runs April 20-23, and Harry Clarke runs April 27-30. Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Special dates: Thursday, April 20, is Pride Night, where guests can gather at 7 pm to enjoy snacks, beverages and fellowship for an additional $15. Every Sunday performance in the series will be Senior Sunday; seniors age 65+ pay $25. Receptions with coffee and cake, along with an informal talkback, follow these Sunday performances.

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