PUTNEY — Fans of Adam Strauss’ The Mushroom Cure, and those who have not yet had the pleasure of witnessing his performance, will have one more chance to see the show at Next Stage before he retires it.
“It’s less the story of finding a perfect cure but rather looking and getting something unexpected and valuable,” said Strauss about his journey using hallucinogenic mushrooms to help him understand his obsessive-compulsive disorder. “I was looking for this perfect solution. What I got was more nuanced and less clear cut.”
Strauss has performed The Mushroom Cure in Putney, just before the COVID-19 Pandemic and lockdown, and he is looking forward to returning.
“I rarely perform it anymore,” he said. “I’ve done it enough.”
Next year, Strauss will perform The Mushroom Cure for one final time, a live recording on stage in Sacramento.
As sad as it is to see Strauss retire the routine, he has a nice surprise in that he will be performing new material the next night.
“I’m pivoting to my next show, which has a major theme of mortality and decline,” he said. “I’m really excited for the folks at Next Stage to see something new and hot off the presses.”
Like The Mushroom Cure, his new show, Before I Forget, will be a blend of tragedy and comedy, during which he talks about his dad, who is slipping into dementia.
“It’s not a light show. There’s a mix. That’s just what life is.”
Strauss said the show in Putney will be an opportunity for him and his production partners, Jonathan Libman and Carl Ford, to try out the new material before they hit the road for the official premiere in San Francisco in November.
“Folks are going to see a great show, but we will be paying special attention on how things are landing and how they feel on the stage,” said Strauss, adding it’s a bit of an unknown how he we feel trying out the new material, especially as it is so new and raw.
“It’s a bit of a wild card for me. I want raw emotion on stage, but I don’t want to break down sobbing. Sometimes it does feel a little bit dangerous.”
But Strauss said it’s important to take chances in life, and for him, it’s retiring The Mushroom Cure and talking about what’s happening in his life today.
“We are mortal and time is limited,” said Strauss, 51. “My father was extremely virile and healthy,” he said. “The possibility I am going to follow in his footsteps …. my time is short.”
Doors open at Next Stage at 6:45 p.m. this Friday for The Mushroom Cure and 6:45 p.m. on Saturday for Before I Forget. Both shows start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 in advance and $25 at the door or $35 in advance for both nights and are available at nextstagearts.org.
Next Stage Arts is located at 15 Kimball Hill in Putney.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.reformer.com ’
