Palm Springs: In A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY UNIT AT THE MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER OF NEW YORK CITY by Halley Feiffer, a young woman tries out her new stand-up comedy act for her mother in the ICU of the aforementioned hospital, not knowing she is being overheard. A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY UNIT… “makes a convincing case that hard laughter is an absolutely appropriate response, if not a socially sanctioned one, to those moments when life seems like too bad a joke not to respond otherwise” (The New York Times). A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY UNIT… continues the historic 15th season for Dezart Performs (www.dezartperforms.org) and runs March 3 – 12 at the Pearl McManus Theatre in downtown Palm Springs. Directed by Randy Brenner, the play runs 90 minutes long without an intermission, and is for mature audiences only.
“We’ve all heard about laughing in the face of death,” said Dezart Performs founding artistic director Michael Shaw “This is the definitive, moving and hilarious proof to that adage.”
When Karla (Aviva Pressman), a foul-mouthed twenty-something comedian visits her mother, Marcie (Deborah Harmon), recovering from Ovarian Cancer surgery at Sloan Kettering, her monologue is overheard but not appreciated by Don (Eric Zaklukiewicz), a middle-aged man embroiled in a nasty divorce visiting his seemingly unresponsive mother, Geena (Barbara Niles). Together, this unlikely duo must negotiate some of life’s biggest challenges, while making some of the world’s most inappropriate jokes. Can these two very lost people learn to laugh through their pain and lean on each other, when all they really want to do is run away?
“I wanted to work on this play because coming out of the COVID pandemic, we have all had to learn how to deal with a lot of pain and loss,” said director Brenner. “Beneath the veneer of very funny biting humor, it addresses the way people deal with extreme grief and the pain that comes with it.”
Following A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY UNIT ….. (March 3 – 12), the season closes out with the acclaimed new buddy comedy THE GARBOLOGISTS (April 14 – 23) directed by Michael Shaw. All performances take place at the Pearl McManus Theater (at the historic Palm Springs Woman’s Club) 314 S Cahuilla Road, Downtown Palm Springs. Ticket prices are $39 – $50. Tickets may be purchased online at www.dezartperforms.org, or by calling (760) 322-0179. Showtimes are Fridays at 7:30pm; Saturdays at 2pm and 7:30pm; Sundays at 2pm.
Dezart Performs, one of the Coachella Valley’s preeminent theatre companies, recognizes that the performing arts enrich the life and culture of a community, promote greater understanding and provoke insightful discussion. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theatre company, its mission is to provide an artistic home for bold and cutting–edge plays, creating an atmosphere of artistic growth for actors, writers, and directors who uniquely contribute to the diverse theatrical environment in the Coachella Valley.
15th Dezart Performs’ Season Listing
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY UNIT AT THE MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER OF NEW YORK CITY
March 3 – 12, 2023
Written by Halley Feiffer
Directed by Randy Brenner
Comedy
“[A FUNNY THING HAPPENED…is] a play that is as deeply felt as its name is long. – The New York Times
“The play is as defiantly unconventional as its title, but it is also satisfying in traditional ways.” – The Los Angeles Times
“Feiffer again demonstrates a talent for crafting caustically sharp comic dialogue.” – The Hollywood Reporter