March 18 through April 20, 2025
Theatre Row
410 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Featuring shows from across the country and around the globe,
the world’s largest solo theatre festival is entering our eighteenth season!
ONE PERFORMER + ONE STORY + ONE AUDIENCE = UNITED SOLO
United Solo Concludes 2025 Spring Season
with Grand Awards Gala
United Solo, the world’s largest solo theatre festival, celebrated its 18th season with a Gala on April 20 at Theatre Row in New York City. The evening began with a musical performance, “Remembering My Dreams: The Michele Brourman Songbook,” performed by the festival’s Vice Artistic Director, Wendy-Lane Bailey, followed by an awards presentation recognizing outstanding work by the festival’s participating artists.
The Best Production Award was presented to Thomas Ellenson for his autobiographical piece “Well, Life Sucks.” Born with cerebral palsy, Thomas has faced numerous challenges throughout his life. His show blends sharp humor with raw honesty, taking the audience on a journey through his determined and deeply moving experiences.
“This show is my second one, and it started when I saw Billy Crystal’s show ‘700 Sundays,’” said Thomas. “I was blown away by how relatable his solo performance was, even though he’s a famous celebrity. He was my inspiration.” He added, “I never expected to win the festival. Even though I’ve always loved theatre, I didn’t realize it would become my career.”
United Solo’s Founder and Artistic Director, Omar Sangare, reflected on the season, stating: “For eighteen seasons, we have been proud to provide a stage where all stories are honored. Our stories matter now more than ever, and I am always moved by the utter fearlessness of our artists. It is a joy to witness performers from all over the world come together to celebrate the diversity of this art form.”
Award categories included excellence in acting, directing, and various forms of solo performance, as well as the All About Solo Critics’ Choice Award and the United Solo Audience Award. An award for Outstanding Solo Performance on Video went to Pau Aran Gimeno, acclaimed performer with Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, for his independent solo production, available via the United Solo Screen platform at https://screen.unitedsolo.org.
While the Spring 2025 season has now concluded, United Solo is currently accepting submissions for its Fall 2025 Season at Theatre Row. Artists and companies are encouraged to apply at: https://unitedsolo.org/nyc-fall-2025/
The full list of award winners from the 2025 Spring Season includes:
Best Production: “Well, Life Sucks” by Thomas Ellenson
Best One-Man Show: “Under the Rainbow” by John Gazzale
Best One-Woman Show: “Casualty of War” by Sharon Lesser
Best International Show: “galat lagchha malai mero desh ko itihas” by Rajkumar Pudasaini
Best Storyteller: Lenka Lichtenberg in “The Secret Poetess of Terezín”
Best Direction: Sue Wolf, “Backwards, Forwards, Back” and “Intact”
Best Actress: Michelle Shupe in “I Wore What When”
Best Actor: Lawrence James in “Backwards, Forwards, Back”
United Solo Pride Award: “Mounting Washington” by Penny Sterling
United Solo Audience Award: “In this Our Home” by Donna Sewall Davidge
United Solo Best Screen Award: “Water and Stones” by Pau Aran Gimeno
Best Musical: “The Ādat” by Sheherazaad
Best Physical Theatre: “Mother’s Day” by Susan Chase
Best Spoken Word: “Legacy” by Sharon Nyee Williams
Best Biographical Show: “Queen of the World” by Ivette Viñas
Best Classical Show: “Cordelia Sword of the Wind” by Jiyoung Choi
Best Autobiographical Show: “Sadec 1965: A Love Story” by Flora Le
Best Storytelling Show: “The Samurai’s Wife” by Sui Nakashima
Best Stand-Up: “I Get No Respect Confessions of a Failed Foreign Policy Pundit” by Bill Hartung
All About Solo Critics’ Choice Award: “The Troll” by Rochée Jeffrey
Best Festival Debut: “In This Our Home” by Donna Sewall Davidge
Best Script: Colleen Murphy, “I Wore What When”
Best Lighting: Melissa Shawcross, “Queen of the World”
SPRING 2025 SHOW LINEUP
Questions about buying tickets?
Contact the Box Office at Theatre Row at (212) 714-2445 ext. 45
Cordelia Sword of the Wind
Starring Jiyoung Choi
March 18, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Backwards, Forwards, Back
Starring Lawrence James
March 19, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Jocasta
Starring Shadi Yazdani
March 20, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Intact: One Woman’s Search for Home
Starring Robin Colucci
March 21, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Backwards, Forwards, Back
Starring Lawrence James
March 22, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
A Social Activist Comedy
Starring Kevin J. Chaplin
March 23, 2:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Solo Sunday Social Room Open Mic
Starring VOLUNTEERS
March 23, 3:30 PM | Buy Tickets
In This Our Home/The Life of Mary Sewall
Starring Donna Davidge
March 25, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Foes of a Minimum Wage Guard
Starring KEN HARRIS
March 26, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Buen Camino: My Walk Through 540 Miles of Rain, Resentment, and Redemption
Starring Susan Edsall
March 27, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
The Samurai’s Wife
Starring Sui Nakashima
March 28, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Buen Camino: My Walk Through 540 Miles of Rain, Resentment, and Redemption
Starring Susan Edsall
March 29, 2:00 PM | Buy Tickets
The Troll
Starring Rochée Jeffrey
March 29, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Solo Sunday Social Room Open Mic
Starring VOLUNTEERS
March 30, 3:30 PM | Buy Tickets
ਆਦਤ / the Ādat (habit)
Starring Sheherazaad
April 1, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Backwards, Forwards, Back
Starring Lawrence James
April 2, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Shit Isn’t A Dirty Word – How Gut Health Made Me Who I Am
Starring Karin Nahamani
April 3, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
I Get No Respect: Tales of a Failed Foreign Policy Pundit
Starring Bill Hartung
April 4, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Mounting Washington: The Story of a Mountain & a Miracle
Starring Penny Sterling
April 5, 2:00 PM | Buy Tickets
I Wore What When
Starring Michelle Shupe
April 5, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Intact: One Woman’s Search for Home
Starring Robin Colucci
April 5, 8:30 PM | Buy Tickets
I Get No Respect: Tales of a Failed Foreign Policy Pundit
Starring Bill Hartung
April 6, 2:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Solo Sunday Social Room Open Mic
Starring VOLUNTEERS
April 6, 3:30 PM | Buy Tickets
Casualty of War
Starring Sharon Lesser
April 8, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Who’s Serving Who?
Starring Kelsie McDonald
April 9, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Under the Rainbow
Starring John Gazzale
April 10, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
The Secret Poetess of Terezín
Starring Lenka Lichtenberg
April 10, 8:30 PM | Buy Tickets
Sadec 1965: A Love Story
Starring Flora Le
April 11, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Who’s Serving Who?
Starring Kelsie McDonald
April 11, 8:30 PM | Buy Tickets
Well, Life Sucks.
Starring Thomas Ellenson with Julia Masson
April 12, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
In This Our Home/The Life of Mary Sewall
Starring Donna Davidge
April 12, 2:00 PM | Buy Tickets
F.O.M.O.
Starring Jonas Kobberdal with Juan Pablo Mendive
April 13, 2:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Solo Sunday Social Room Open Mic
Starring VOLUNTEERS
April 13, 3:30 PM | Buy Tickets
Light
Starring Xue “SNOW” Zeng Hwang
April 15, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Casualty of War
Starring Sharon Lesser
April 15, 8:30 PM | Buy Tickets
Mother’s Day
Starring Susan Chase
April 16, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
There’s Something Seriously Wrong With Cyrus
Starring Cyrus Deboo
April 17, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
In This Our Home/The Life of Mary Sewall
Starring Donna Davidge
April 17, 8:30 PM | Buy Tickets
LEGACY
Starring Sharon Nyree Williams
April 18, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
galat lagchha malai mero desh ko itihas
Starring Rajkumar Pudasaini
April 19, 2:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Queen of the World – An Evening with Marlene Dietrich
Starring Ivette Viñas
April 19, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
Under the Rainbow
Starring John Gazzale
April 19, 8:30 PM | Buy Tickets
United Solo Closing Gala
April 20, 7:00 PM | Buy Tickets
