Iris Bahr’s Neurotica Fest
The Neurotica Fest returns for a second year at UNDER St. Marks from September 10-13, 2026. This is one of many festivals that FRIGID NY produces which gives artists an opportunity to connect and present their work. Iris Bahr is the festival’s founder, producer, and curator and she has created a prgram that is diverse in its subject matter and style.
The Interview
1. What inspired you to create Neurotica Fest, and what did you want this particular collection of artists and stories to say about the possibilities of solo performance and comedy?
Being a solo performer is an extremely gratifying, yet lonely business at times. (Dinner and drinks with the cast, anyone?) To that end, when not on tour with my own shows, I’ve always loved producing variety hours and comedy shows featuring my favorite comics and storytellers, and creating a space for talented humans to share their work. Over the last few years, I’ve been teaching a lot more online and was inspired by a particular cohort that hailed from around the country, and decided to create a festival where they, and other artists I love, can present their work in New York City and become part of a newfound community. It’s exciting to bring together humans with extremely divergent life experiences and see them connect over their desire to share their stories through theatre, storytelling and comedy.
I’m beyond excited for this year’s collection of artists, as they tackle tough subjects in fresh and innovative ways. The ability to surprise and delight is such a rarity in art and I’m proud to say this year’s artists do just that. From emerging fresh voices making their NYC debut to NY Times Bestselling author Kurt Andersen who will be performing excerpts with me, from his new and groundbreaking dystopian novel The Break Up.
2. Neurotica Fest gives women artists a space to tell stories that might otherwise be overlooked, dismissed, or difficult to tell. Why was creating that space important to you?
I find great meaning and joy in supporting women, non-binary and any artist for that matter that doesn’t necessarily fit the commercial mold or hasn’t found ample support in their creative endeavors, due to both external constraints and internal limiting beliefs. As a staunch believer that great theatre and comedy are essential for society’s growth and survival, I am passionate about supporting and showcasing both emerging and veteran voices that I believe bring value to us all.
3. What do you hope audiences discover, question, or feel through this work?
First off, I hope (well actually I know) they’ll have fun, as entertainment is key, and I’ve curated the festival with that in mind. I hope audiences are reminded of the power of communal experiences and attain new perspectives by exposing themselves to stories and lives very different from their own. I hope they find comfort, if that’s what they are seeking, and inspiration if they yearn to create something themselves.
4. What is one thing about your creative process that people might be surprised to learn?
My process changes project to project. My fictional work for stage and screen involves a different process than my autobiographical solo work; my first five solo shows were fictional and character based, and over the last few years my work has leaned towards storytelling and sharing very dramatic and personal events in my life through a tragicomic prism.
5. How do you see Neurotica Fest contributing to the independent theatre ecosystem? It is a festive delightful cog in a beautiful wheel, and my goal is for the festival to blossom and grow, as more artists and audiences discover the magic that is Neurotica. Don’t take my word for it, come check it out, September 10th-13th at UNDER St. Marks.
Launched in 2025 by multiple award-winning actor, writer, director and solo performer Iris Bahr (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Hacks, Stories from the Brink!) Neurotica Fest is a four day festival showcasing storytellers and stand-up comedians offering fresh perspectives, fascinating life stories, and compelling narratives. The festival will also feature an evening of short films and a special in-conversation event with bestselling author Kurt Andersen.
MOM! WTF!!
Written & Performed by Carol Johnson
MOM! WTF!! is a comedy confessional about being raised by a “happy homemaker” in the era of free love and free-range parenting. Mothers in this time period went from June Clever to Gloria Steinem in under a decade, and this had to be cultural whiplash. Somehow she still became a mom herself. Carol Johnson delivers sharp stand-up, raw honesty and a cheeky sing-along about women’s rights while unpacking the drama our mothers passed down like heirlooms. Big laughs, real talk, and moments that may hit a little close to home. Perfect for anyone who’s ever said, “I thought it was just me.” Whether you’re a mom or still recovering from one. Traumaste- the trauma in me bows to the trauma in you!
Thu Sept 10 at 7pm & Sun Sept 13 at 1pm 45 min
What X Gave to Me:
A Good Girl Learns to Embrace Anger With the Help of Her Favorite Rapper
Written & Performed by Samantha Siberini "Sam Sibby"
“What X Gave to Me” is a good girl’s journey of embracing her anger, with the help of her favorite rapper…DMX! This show explores the late Earl Simmons as an unlikely inspiration for Sam, who never felt she was allowed to get truly pissed off about anything ever. What commonalities can be found between two people whose backgrounds couldn’t be more different? Why do certain DMX songs remind Sam of Shakespeare? Is she going to lose her mind (up in here, up in here)???
Thu Sept 10 at 8:30pm & Sun Sept 13 at 2:30pm 30 min
Double Header with Middle Man
Middle Man
Written & Performed by Mimi Brown
In the wake of a divisive sex education lecture at her Missouri Catholic school, an 8th grader enlists a young seminarian to help her get back in God's good graces. Together, they grapple with their faith in a community that may not practice what they preach.
Thu Sept 10 at 8:30pm & Sun Sept 13 at 2:30pm 30 min
Double Header with What X Gave to Me
Cl*t Cult
Written & Performed by Star Stone, Directed by Ryan Cunningham
This musical comedy details Star's journey to have an orgasm but "oops" she seeketh's herself a little too far and accidentally joins a sexual “wellness” cult called OneTaste. Based on a true story, Star examines how patriarchal power and control dynamics can hide behind feminist branding and spiritualized intimacy. OneTaste founders were recently found guilty and sentenced to 9 years in prison.
Thu Sept 10 at 10pm & Fri Sept 11 at 10pm 60 min
NEUROTICA FILM HOUR
An hour of hilarious short films followed by a conversation between Iris Bahr and the filmmakers.
Fri Sept 11 at 5:30pm
Gigi Dabrowski: The Untold Story
Written & Performed by Kendra Cunningham
Gigi Dabrowski is serving the final stretch of her house arrest, and she's determined to use her newfound platform to tell the truth—or at least her version of it. Gigi recounts the events that led to her downfall, reflects on her complicated relationships, and offers unsolicited wisdom on everything from friendship to federal oversight. Equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and unhinged, Gigi Dabrowski: The Untold Story is a character-driven solo comedy about loneliness, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive. Grey Gardens with a Boston accent.
Friday Sept 11 at 7pm, Sat Sept 12 at 4pm & Sun Sept 13 at 5:30pm 50 min
IRIS BAHR IN CONVERSATION WITH BEST-SELLING AUTHOR KURT ANDERSEN
Iris Bahr is joined by the brilliant and critically acclaimed author Kurt Andersen, as they perform excerpts from his new novel, The Break-Up. “Kurt Andersen is the most brilliant social novelist of our time, in the tradition of Tom Wolfe and Don DeLillo, but even funnier and deeper. With a light touch and instinct for telling details, he mixes pitch-perfect satire with profound insights.” —Walter Isaacson
Fri Sept 11 at 8:30pm
An American (NOT) in Paris
Written & Performed by Liv Rocklin
An OCD, ADHD, Gluten Free, Gen Z, One Woman, Musical Comedy! Through stand up, musical comedy, and storytelling, Liv Rocklin (Second City Chicago, Broadway Comedy Club) takes you through her experience of a morbidly overachieving American Gen-Zer losing control of her plans, body, and youth for the first time in Paris, France, while living out her Lizzie McGuire moment… or as the French say… moment. In the style of Rachel Bloom and Bo Burnham, the show explores Liv’s obsession with control and the innermost workings of her fraying brain through 7 songs, 6 languages, and 5 undiagnosed conditions (she’s got Bingo!). In a final showdown to keep control, she tries to win study abroad, Weight Watchers, and therapy but loses it all over a glass of wine spiked with Benadryl on an American Airlines flight home.
An American (NOT) in Paris (Best of Fringe Orlando 2025, Funniest of Fringe Pittsburgh 2026, Critic's Choice for Writing and Performance Portland Fringe 2026, sold out Off Broadway run at 59E59 Theaters 2026) portrays the experience of loneliness, the inimitability of youth, and the reality check of growing up in a relatable, heartfelt, and ultimately laughter and smile inspiring way. You’ll leave hating Americans and Gen Z a little less (no promises, I guess). By the end, you’ll be wondering if she’s Britney Spears, Princess Diana, Taylor Swift, or just poorly adjusted. C’est La Vie! SatSept 12 at 2:30pm & Sun Sept 13 at 7pm 60 min
400 Miles from Regular
Written & Performed by Natalie Picoe
400 Miles from Regular is a one-person show about a woman in mid-life who has decided it’s now or never to become who she truly is. Can she finally summon the courage to stand up to her controlling soon to be ex-husband, her toxically positive sister, and her video-game addicted teenage son. Can she surprise herself and walk away to an uncertain future? 400 Miles from Regular is the galvanizing story of a woman who steps into the unknown, not out of despair, but out of an exhilarating will to grow and build a better future.
Sat Sept 12 at 5:30pm & Sun Sept 13 at 8:30pm 45 min
Girl Tall: The View From Up Here
Written & Performed by Chu Bu
GIRL TALL is the story of growing up desperate to blend in, only to discover you were meant to stand out. It is an unflinching, insightful journey into how the very things that make you different are actually your greatest superpower.
Sat Sept 12 at 7pm & Sun Sept 13 at 4pm 30 minutes
Double Header with …but what if it rains?
...but what if it rains?
Written & Performed by Vanessa Fleming
This one-woman show is a different type of coming-of-age story that re-tells the events leading up to, during, and the aftermath of becoming a caregiver for a parent. It starts with the day that everything happened, going through the year of changes and challenges associated with it, her death, and how a family all moved in time and space during the events, all told from different points of view and perspectives through the vessel of one person. A mix of emotional depth and the conversations around death but with touches of humor to bring levity and reality into the experience. Sat Sept 12 at 7pm & Sept 13 at 4pm 30 min
Double Header with Girl Tall
CRAVEY
Written & Performed by Alex Petrullo
Cravey is a musical comedy exploring the insatiable need for love… and chicken tenders. An aspiring Disney princess moves to New York City and falls in love with a Bar Mitzvah DJ from New Jersey. Will it be the fairytale happily ever after of her dreams or will she be met with a more nightmarish journey of self discovery at the hand of unfulfilled desires?
Sun Sept 13 at 11:30am 50 min
Iris Bahr (Festival Founder, Producer & Curator) is an award winning actor, writer, comic, director and dramaturg. With over 50 TV and film credits to her name, Iris is best known for her recurring role on Curb your Enthusiasm as Rachel Heineman (The ski lift episode to name just one), Hacks as Nurse Perla, and her series Svetlana, which she wrote, starred in and directed all two seasons, (executive produced by Mark Cuban). Her debut solo show DAI (enough) won the Lortel Award, 2 Drama Desk nominations and had an extensive run Off- Broadway and a world tour including sold out runs in London, Edinburgh, and across South America in Spanish, as well as a command performance at the United Nations for over 100 ambassadors and delegates. Her sixth solo show See You Tomorrow, about caregiving for her mother with dementia, was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award and is in development as a TV series. She is currently on tour with her newest solo show, Stories from the Brink! My Festive Near-Death Adventures. The show won the Montreal Frankie Award and just wrapped a run at Soho Playhouse here in New York City. Bahr has published three books that have been translated into numerous languages; Dork Whore (Bloomsbury), Machu My Picchu (Skirt) and Book of Leon (Simon & Schuster), which she co-wrote with comedian JB Smoove. Both her memoirs are being adapted into feature films. She stars in the new Amazon series, JOSEPH OF EGYPT which will premiere early 2027. Bahr has spent over a decade helping artists develop their solo shows. She also has a robust practice privately coaching entrepreneurs and executives across the globe on public speaking and pitching ideas. www.irisbahr.com
Kurt Anderson Kurt’s most recent books were Evil Geniuses and Fantasyland. His latest novel, The Break-Up has been touted by critics, fellow authors and cultural icons, as “ambitious and remarkable,” “dazzling,” “an absolute joy, “outrageously funny,” “stellar,” “a tour de force,” and “a work of towering importance,” Kurt is also a journalist, screenwriter and playwright. He contributes to The Atlantic and The New York Times, and was a staff writer and critic at The New Yorker and Time. He also hosted the Peabody Award-winning public radio show Studio 360, ran New York, and co-founded Spymagazine.
FRIGID New York’s mission is to provide both emerging and established artists the opportunity to create and produce original work of varied content, form, and style, and to amplify their diverse voices. We do this by presenting an array of monthly programming, mainstage productions, an artist residency, and eight annual theater festivals that create an environment of collaboration, resourcefulness, and innovation. Founded in 1998, the aim was and is to form a structure, allowing multiple artists to focus on creating and staging new work and providing affordable rental space to scores of independent artists. Now in our third decade we have produced a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater. www.frigid.nyc
Click HERE for tickets.
Editorial by Malini Singh McDonald.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on September 2nd, 2026. All rights reserved.