THE MUSHROOM CURE Extends At The Marsh

The Marsh Berkeley announces the extension through July 7, 2018 of hit show The Mushroom Cure by Adam Strauss. Inspired by a scientific study that hallucinogenic mushrooms may cure obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Strauss embarked on a program of vigilante psychopharmacology. The true tale of Strauss' hilarious, harrowing, and heartrending attempts to treat his debilitating OCD with psychedelics was an Off-Broadway hit, where it was named Critics' Pick by Time Out New York, which praised it as "riveting... true-life tour de force" and hailed by The New York Times as "mining a great deal of laughter from disabling pain." Strauss stars in the Bay Area production, while The Mushroom Cure simultaneously continues its extended run in New York at Theatre 80 St. Marks with another actor taking on the lead.

The Mushroom Cure, which opened on March 30 and was scheduled to close June 16, earned many local accolades during its Berkeley run saying it "stuns as honest, captivating narrative" (The Daily Californian), "piquant and poignant" (Berkeleyside), and is "brilliant, hilarious, and moving" (Michael Pollan). Strauss' solo show will continue performances now through July 7, 2018, 8:00pm Fridays and 8:30pm Saturdays at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. For tickets ($20-$35 sliding scale, $55-$100 reserved), the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call The Marsh box office at 415-282-3055 (open 1pm-4pm, Monday through Friday).

The Mushroom Cure, written and performed by Adam Strauss and directed by Jonathan Libman, received its West Coast Premiere in April 2017 at The Marsh San Francisco to critical acclaim and resulted in an extended 11-week run. Talkin' Broadway praised The Mushroom Cure as "a miracle of a show and a must-see," and called Strauss "a one-person tour de force." Theatrius raved it is "a hilarious ride through OCD" and "a fabulous, perceptive trip." The SF Theater Blog also noted that Strauss is "one extremely talented comedian."

The show first ran in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe garnering widespread acclaim. Critics called the show "hugely intelligent and incredibly engaging," (The Scotsman) "outstanding," (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine) and "a revelation" (Broadway Baby). Strauss' riotous tale appeared next in the New York International Fringe Festival, winning the Fringe's Overall Excellence Award for Solo Performance. It then was given its Off-Broadway premiere at New York's Cherry Lane Theatre, where it had a sold-out, extended run. The Mushroom Cure was remounted in December 2017 at Off-Broadway's Theatre 80 St. Marks. This run of the acclaimed solo show is sponsored by The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), the leading psychedelic research and advocacy organization.

Adam Strauss is a writer and performer based in New York City. He won the Leffe Craft Your Character Storytelling Competition and the New York Fringe Festival's Overall Excellence Award for Solo Performance. He is also a stand-up comedian who performs throughout the US and the UK. Strauss received his BA in psychology from Brown University.

Director Jonathan Libman is currently directing and writing for Amy Schumer's ensemble company The Collective. As a member of The Actors Studio Playwrights/Directors Unit Jonathan is directing Chazz Palminteri (A Bronx Tale) in Palminteri's new play The Bench, and National Endowment for the Arts recipient David Libman's play The Townhouse, featuring Joey Collins. He recently worked with Guggenheim Fellow Christina Masciotti on her play Raw Bacon From Poland, featuring Sean Carvajal (Stephen Aldy Guirgis' Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train). Libman is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Dramatic Writing Program.

The Marsh is known as "a breeding ground for new performance." It was launched in 1989 by Founder and Artistic Director Stephanie Weisman, and now annually hosts more than 600 performances of 175 shows across the company's two venues in San Francisco and Berkeley. A leading outlet for solo performers, The Marsh's specialty has been hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as "solo performances that celebrate the power of storytelling at its simplest and purest." The East Bay Times named The Marsh one of Bay Area's best intimate theaters, calling it "one of the most thriving solo theaters in the nation. The live theatrical energy is simply irresistible."

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