Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Ryan O'Connor is Back, and Funnier Than Ever
Called a “big, gay, singing Kathy Griffin”, YouTube celebrity, actor and singer Ryan O’Connor (How I Met Your Mother, School of Rock, American Dad), is about to bring his unique show to the Celebration Theatre for six performances beginning March 19.
His dynamic, hilarious and oddly touching theatrical journey will include songs by William Finn, Ani DiFranco, Katie Thompson, Scott Alan and Randy Blair, and will feature a special guest each night. They include:
March 19, 10:30 PM – Shoshana Bean
March 20, 10:30 PM – Megan Hilty
March 21, 7:00 PM – Jimmy James
March 26, 10:30 PM – Katie Thompson
March 27, 10:30 PM – The Schumaker Twins
March 28, 7:00 PM – Kamilah Marshall
According to O’Connor, “Ryan O’Connor Eats His Feelings is about the truest statement I can imagine! I knew I wanted to tell my story as a compulsive overeater and I knew that to do that I had to be 150% honest. The show has completely revolutionized how I feel about myself as a person, as an actor, as a singer and as a comedian. For the first time in my adult life, I feel completely free to be ME as a performer.”
Ryan grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and spent his childhood and teen years with a theatre called Greasepaint Youtheatre doing 4-6 shows a year. After attending New School for the Arts, a performing arts high school, he went to New York and studied musical theatre at Circle In the Square Theatre School. “When I wasn’t in class, I was at the theatre,” says O’Connor. “I saw everything, many things over and over again. I am truly the biggest theatre fan I know, and I know a lot of theatre fans!”
“After 5 years doing small productions and workshops of new shows, I decided to give LA a try and started working in film and tv.” Six years passed before he went back to the stage, eventually appearing in Katie Thompson’s musical RRRed in 2008. With his current show about to open on March 21st, it’s safe to say that this is a full circle moment for him.
Like any other actor, O'Connor has dreams; among them a dream to portray silent film star Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle in a stage and/or screen adaptation of Jerry Stahl’s novel I, Fatty. “I’m as passionate about that single role as I am about my entire career,” smiles O’Connor. “I’d also love to do a sitcom and a talk show before I’m done.”
Performances of Ryan O’Connor Eats His Feelings will take place at Celebration Theatre, 7051 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90038. Tickets are available online at www.celebrationtheatre.com/latenight.html or by calling 323-957-1884.
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