Shatterproof at Icebox Project Space Gallery

Philadelphia, PA: What if you thought the funniest and saddest thing you could ever write/act would be the story of your crazy brother taken directly from his own “manifesto” about his own illness? In Shatterproof, a solo show written and performed by Dana Block, that’s exactly what is going down. Dana Block draws on a world created by her brother in cartoons, rants and ravings, and tells the story of their artistic Jewish family in rural Missouri, bringing each character fully to life on stage, including the hallucinated ones! In this boiling pot of mental illness and art, life is precariously balanced. This beautifully imagined one-woman show, directed by award-winning Artistic Director of Bedlam Theatre Co, Eric Tucker, is headed to an Off-Broadway debut in November, 2026. It is not to be missed. Shatterproof is a true story, given voice by a sibling who knows first hand, the heartbreak of trying to save someone who is irretrievably lost. Shatterproof (formerly produced as “Monkey Man” ) has been called “hilarious and heart breaking.” The limited engagement will play Icebox Project Space Gallery (1400 N American St, Philadelphia, PA) from September 18-27, 2026. Tickets are available now via this link.

Shatterproof, Dana Block’s autobiographical dark comedy comes to Philadelphia for three performances on September 18, 26, and 27 before its anticipated Off-Broadway run. Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, the play tells the story of a sister’s quest to help her younger brother — a gifted artist and comedian (think Robyn Williams) – whose schizophrenia sends him on the road hitchhiking for decades. Inspired by Block’s own experiences growing up in a close-knit Jewish family, Shatterproof gives voice to the sibling experience of losing a cherished loved one to an illness whose only promise is, it cannot be cured.

Shatterproof shares a wildly funny portrait of an artistic Jewish family from St. Joseph, Missouri, before unfolding the extraordinary story of Dana’s relationship with her brother. As a teenager, Marc’s schizophrenia leads him to hitchhike across America in an attempt to outrun his illness and find himself. Twenty years later, Dana begins a journey of her own—to try to bring back her brother.

The original material for the show is drawn from Marc’s journals, drawings, and writings, and brings audiences inside both the brilliance and chaos of his mental illness. Through humor, honesty and compassion, the play invites audiences to laugh at Marc, laugh with Marc, and fall in love with Marc and his utterly mischievous personality.

The title Shatterproof reflects the role Dana found herself playing within her family: the person who could hold the center and the only person who had the guts to go out and to try to find him. Dana discovered that loving her brother did not mean having the power to make decisions for him — it meant learning to accept that regardless, he had possession of his own life and that it was his right to live it as he wanted.

At a time when conversations about mental health have never been more urgent, Shatterproof reminds us that behind every diagnosis is a family painfully navigating impossible choices—and that even in our darkest moments, laughter can become an act of survival. Catch Shatterproof before its Off-Broadway run and experience this extraordinary true story.