Abby Wambaugh Will Bring THE FIRST 3 MINUTES OF 17 SHOWS to Dixon Place This October
Performances begin October 1.
By: Stephi Wild Aug. 19, 2025
Peabody and Emmy Award winner Hannah Gadsby will present comedian, writer and improviser Abby Wambaugh in her debut solo comedy The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows this October. The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows will play a limited four week run at Dixon Place in New York City beginning October 1, following an acclaimed, award-winning run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2024 and 2025.
“I saw this show a year ago and haven't stopped thinking about it since…except for maybe a couple of days when I was being very self-involved,” said Gadsby. “Abby is a brilliant, rare talent, and this show is so many good things. It's genius, it's refreshing, it is so, so funny. And you have to be in the room to experience the real magic. If you're going to do anything to brighten your mood or open your mind this October, go see The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows.”
“When I moved to Copenhagen from Brooklyn seven years ago, I was a teacher who had never even considered trying stand up. To return to the place where so much of this story happened with an Off-Broadway show about beginnings, is nearly unbelievable to me” said Wambaugh of the upcoming New York engagement. “I'm so excited to get to do this show in front of the friends and family who were there for the real thing, and — maybe most of all — in front of my high school drama teacher. I'm also thrilled to finally perform it in a country where I don't have to explain what a CVS is.”
Directed by Lara Ricote, The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows is presented by Hannah Gadsby, and produced by Jenney Shamash (WOOF!, Hannah Gadsby: Douglas), Mike & Carlee Productions (Broadway's Oh, Mary!, Josh Sharp's ta-da!) and Dixon Place and was originally produced by Mick Perrin Worldwide.
The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows will play a limited four week engagement at Dixon Place (161A Chrystie St) beginning Wednesday, October 1, 2025, with performances set through Saturday, October 25, 2025. General Admission tickets, beginning at $33, are available now. The performance schedule for The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows is Wednesday through Friday at 7PM and Saturday at 5PM and 8PM. Run time is approx. 65 minutes with no intermission.
ABOUT THE FIRST 3 MINUTES OF 17 SHOWS:
After waking up in the hospital following a late miscarriage, Abby Wambaugh — still high on anesthesia — made an unexpected decision: to become a comedian. Now, in her uniquely goofy and heartfelt hour, Abby shares her 17 best ideas for her first show. The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows sees Wambaugh playfully exploring her talent for a wide range of comedy styles in this one-person variety show, presenting the best ideas for her debut hour including potential hits like “Old Man Learns Parkour” and a very long impression of the number nine - a setup that explores gender, pregnancy, loss and creativity and uncovers a deeper story about the value of beginnings that don't necessarily have a middle or an end.
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