#naomigrossman, #pepper, #americanhorrorstory, #americanwhorestory, #naomiwgrossman, #maverickaward, #losangeleswomenstheatrefestival, #broadwayworld, #uclaextension, #screenwriting, #thebug, #thebugtheatre, #denver, #fringefest, #ponderosahighschool, #UCLAextension, #LA, #Thegroundlings, #1BR, #biteme, #actorslife
Never miss a thing:
Justin, my husband, and I don't get out often for date nights because life always gets in the way. This is what prompted me to make the short comedy, DATE NIGHT IN. But when I saw that my friend, Naomi Grossman, was coming to town to perform her award-winning show, AMERICAN WHORE STORY, Justin and I moved heaven and earth to go see her.
Naomi and I both attended Ponderosa High School in Parker, Colorado and although she graduated a year ahead of me, we still knew of each other, but we didn't really know each other.
Fast forward about a decade or so later. Justin and I were living in California so I could complete my Certificate in Feature Film Writing from UCLA Extension in person, rather than online. I was so nervous to go to that first class, so anxious, so scared, but then in walks Naomi, full of confident, positive energy.
We quickly reconnected and, as all of us penned our screenplays, I had the joy of witnessing just how incredibly talented Naomi is as both a writer and performer. I'd never seen this side of her before. During the class, Naomi offered to host a screenwriting workshop for all of us in the class at her apartment in LA. This is where I got to see yet one more side of Naomi as the first thing that greeted me upon entering her apartment was a poster for her one-woman show, GIRL IN ARGENTINE LANDSCAPE. Her back was to the camera, and she was buck-naked.
HELLO! At first, I didn't know what to think. My anxiety-stricken brain was anxious and embarrassed for Naomi, but the writer/performer in me was so incredibly envious of her confidence.
Each week when I'd head to her place for the workshop, I'd look at that poster and blush and then start to think about my own anxiety and fear and lack of self-confidence and how those things had always held me back... No, let me rephrase that, how I had always allowed those things to hold me back.
It was an epiphanous moment that caused me to deeply respect Naomi's poster, the courage, fearlessness, and self-confidence it represented. Naomi was writing, producing, performing and doing improve with The Groundlings. The more I read her work and the more we read it aloud as a group, the more I understood that her poster represented the raw, authentic, fearless vulnerable (and often hysterical) energy that she brings to her writing, producing and acting. It's what makes her so damned good and why to this day, I still look up to her.
In fact, her courage eventually gave me the courage to shoot my short film, DATE NIGHT IN, in which I successfully executed a scene in my underwear. Not only that, but I then submitted the film to various film festivals, got accepted, and screened it (in person) to a sold-out crowd.
I digress... One day, Naomi invited a bunch of us to her one-woman show, so my good friend, another classmate, and I jumped on the opportunity to see her perform live. I can't remember the name of the show or the LA theatre I saw it in, but what I do remember is laughing hysterically with a sold-out audience that was also laughing hysterically.
I also remember she made a lot of jokes about some of the cringe-worthy experiences she had in high school. I was blown away. She was on stage, all alone, keeping a sold-out crowd completely captivated. It was great, but although the show was funny and well-written, part of me couldn't help but feel like it was skirting the border between being a great show and a massive act of revenge against some of the more "popular and beautiful" kids in high school.
Eventually, Justin and I moved back to Colorado, but Naomi and I still kept in touch, and I followed her acting career and did my best to watch every film and TV series she was in. And then, one day, she scored big and landed the role of Pepper in AMERICAN HORROR STORY.
Overnight, her life changed, and she became a major success, a Bonafide celebrity, an icon. Justin and I watched every episode of AMERICAN HORROR STORY that she was in. She was incredible! Her physicality in the role blew my mind and she brought so much dimension to a character that might otherwise have been easily forgotten.
Fast forward years later to a cool Sunday evening. Justin and I were racing to get out the door to get to The Bug Theatre to see Naomi's most recent show, AMERICAN WHORE STORY. The show details how Naomi went from being a somewhat unseen actress to playing the ugliest character on TV, a role that would propel her career into the stratosphere, give her the opportunity to work with some of the best actors in the world, and forever change her life.
Even though I had seen Naomi perform before, I had no idea what to expect. After all, so much time had passed since I had seen her last performance and time, like all things, allows for growth and provides perspective and clarity, especially for those of us who are writers, actors, and creators.
The show was captivating from the moment Naomi came on stage in her low cut, black-sequined jumpsuit, until the very end that garnered a standing ovation. Using multimedia, Naomi performed some of the funniest bits I have ever seen. My face and abs hurt from laughing so hard, but what made this show so special was how inspirational it was and the total vulnerability with which it was performed.
The show is framed by Naomi's poignant exploration of her dysfunctional relationship with her father and how her need for his approval and affection drove her to become a perfectionist while also consistently driving her into the arms of the "wrong kind of man."
She also explores her relationship with her super successful, multi-hyphenate mother in one of the funniest, most classic sketches I've ever seen. Justin and I were sitting next to Naomi's mom during the performance, and that made the bit all the funnier. Naomi's mom is also a wonderful performer with a great sense of humor, and it was a fantastic touch for Naomi to include her in the show. It added a level of depth and warmth to the show that you just won't find anywhere else.
As the show continues, Naomi hilariously performs the story of how she came to California, a perfectionist who had never failed at anything in her life... and promptly failed at acting. Unable to earn enough money as an actress, Naomi hilariously details how she creatively balanced "real jobs" while pursuing her dream. The skit is not only funny, it's uproariously funny while also being incredibly inspirational for anyone with a dream.
What I loved best about the show was the honesty, authenticity, vulnerability, and energy with which it was performed and the fact that it was hilarious, inspirational, deeply profound and sometimes disturbing, all at the same time.
What makes this show so great, and separates it from all others, is that Naomi painstakingly details some of the toughest realizations she's had in life, epiphanies that came from failure and success and led her to believe in her authentic self and grow stronger as a woman, a writer, and a performer.
For me, it was really special to see how much Naomi has grown as a writer and actress since the last time I saw her perform in LA. Her first show was really good, but nowhere near as introspective, funny, moving, and uplifting as AMERICAN WHORE STORY.
Naomi's performance and writing are impeccable, layered with so much subtext and so many nuances it's clear why her show was named, Best Solo Production by Broadway World -- Los Angeles and why it won the Maverick Award at the Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival.
Trust me when I say AMERICAN WHORE STORY is a show you don't want to miss! Seriously, you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll kiss a few bucks, goodbye, and leave the theatre feeling totally inspired by Naomi's wild, incredible, and transformative journey to stardom.
For details on when and where to see Naomi's show, please check out the website: AMERICAN WHORE STORY. To learn more about Naomi, visit her website.
What a review, Amy! Can't wait to share with my team, and the world!
Who amongst us has not accepted a paycheck from an employer that screwed them? I ask you.
Love this!!! What a wonderful story! Hope I get the opportunity to see Naomi's show someday!