Jim David’s One-Man Community Theater Comes to Fringe Festival
Jim David loves the theater--even more than most gay men, which is to say, a lot. He likes to say that he tried to become an actor but was told he made a better usher.
So instead of treading the boards, he worked in the trenches. The North Carolina native has taught, directed, nailed curtains, sewed costumes and dusted seats all over this great nation. The result can be seen in "South Pathetic," his one-man show.
An affectionate look at community theater, "Pathetic" takes place during a local production of "A Streetcar Named Desire." As the characters--all played by David with no props, costumes or anything else except his accent and talent for mimicry--learn their parts and get into their roles, so does the action onstage during rehearsals mirror and further their real, offstage lives.
The genesis for this hilarious combination of "Noises Off," "Waiting for Guffman" and that ineffable musical version of "Streetcar" on "The Simpsons" came from David’s desire to do a one-person show like his idols John Leguizamo and Lilly Tomlin. "I wanted to do a totally different kind of comedy from standup."
Not that standing in front of those brick walls all these years has been so bad for David. He’s starred in his own Comedy Central special, along with a two-year stint on that network’s "Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn," among much other TV work. He’s headlined nightclubs across the country and writes a semi-regular column for the Advocate.
But his first love remains the theater. He calls "Pathetic" "fictionalized autobiography: A director named Jim returns to his home state of North Carolina to direct a snake-pit ’Streetcar.’"
What distinguishes "Pathetic" is that, inside the satire is a loving look at the dedicated non-professionals who keep local theater going. "It ultimately embraces the whole community theaer experience," he says. "The thing that’s different about ’South Pathetic’ is that while they’re way over their head doing Tennessee Williams, I acknowledge that it’s very important for a community to have this."
The climax is the entire original "Streetcar"--in seven minutes. The whole evening will move along as swiftly for those lucky enough to catch this very fun and funny production.
"South Pathetic" is playing at the New York International Fringe Festival, Aug. 14, 15, 16, 18, 20 & 21. Go to the website for tickets.
