The Marsh Berkeley Extends Two Works By Adam Strauss Through July 15

Due to popular demand, The Marsh Berkeley has extended Adam Strauss' hit solo show, The Mushroom Cure, performing Friday nights (June 17-July 15). It will run in repertory with his spontaneous comedic solo show, Adam Strauss is Not Unhappy, which has also been extended, with performances on Saturday nights (June 11-July 9).

Both shows are currently scheduled through May 28, and will take a brief break before returning to The Marsh Berkeley for a limited run next month.

The Mushroom Cure was inspired by a scientific study showing that hallucinogenic mushrooms may cure obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which launched Strauss on a program of vigilante psychopharmacology. The true tale of Strauss's hilarious, harrowing, and heartrending attempts to treat his debilitating OCD with psychedelics, developed with and directed by Jonathan Libman, was an Off-Broadway hit. It then moved to Chicago.

Audiences at The Marsh will also be given an opportunity to catch Strauss's new unscripted comedic solo show, Adam Strauss is Not Unhappy, which the actor/playwright describes as a mostly unscripted, entirely unguarded exploration of heartbreak, addiction, obsession, loneliness, and other hilarious things.

The Mushroom Cure has been extended June 17-July 15, 2022 with performances at 7:30pm Fridays, while Adam Strauss is Not Unhappy has been extended June 11-July 9, 2022 with performances at 7:30pm Saturdays. Both performances, which are currently scheduled through May 28, will be held at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. For information or to order tickets ($20-$35 sliding scale, $55-$100 reserved), the public may visit www.themarsh.org

ABOUT THE MUSHROOM CURE

The Mushroom Cure, written and performed by Adam Strauss and developed with 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 declared it "a hilarious ride through OCD" and "a fabulous, perceptive trip," while Michael Pollan hailed it "brilliant, hilarious, and moving." SF Theater Blog applauded Strauss's performance, calling him "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 Curewas remounted in December 2017 at Off-Broadway's Theatre 80 St. Marks, where it ran continuously for over a year before closing in January 2019. The show then enjoyed a hit run in Chicago, where the Chicago Tribune called it "arrestingly honest and howlingly funny" and awarded the show 3.5 out of 4 stars. This run of the acclaimed solo show is sponsored by The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), the leading psychedelic research and advocacy organization.

ABOUT Adam Strauss IS NOT UNHAPPY

Adam Strauss is Not Unhappy is Adam Strauss's newest project, in which the performer takes flight in a mostly unscripted evening that explores Strauss' up-to-the-minute challenges and triumphs around OCD, love, loneliness and, quite possibly, finding parking in Berkeley on a Saturday night, offered up with Strauss' expert comedic skills and singular worldview. His two previous solo works include The Mushroom Cure and The Uncertainty Principle, which were both greeted with warm audience response and critical acclaim, with media calling Strauss "Riveting" (Time Out NY), "A master storyteller" (Talkin' Broadway), and "Brilliant" (SF TheatreBlog).