Richard Tanner’s show, small PARTS, debuted at the Lounge Theatre on October 15, 2014, with an extended run till November 19, 2014. This mixed media show is an introspective critique which details his absurdities, his hardships and his short lived successes told in his typical self effacing style.

The congenial and literary comic of small PARTS references the obscure book titled Little Me: The Intimate Memoirs of that Great Star of Stage, Screen and Television, or simply Little Me, a parodied confessional of the autobiography of Belle Poitrine, written by Patrick Dennis. It is a heavily illustrated book filled with stock and original photographs by Cris Alexander, emulating and recreating Poitrine’s life. This book was later brought to life as a Broadway musical.

The plot of Little Me tells the rags-to-riches- story of one Maybelle Schlumpfert, an overdeveloped and self-deluded girl who rises to become Belle Poitrine. Throughout the book, Poitrine’s character trumpets her successes (which are few) while glossing over her failures (which are many). The book was a stinging parody of the cult of celebrity and self-importance stemming from the numerous ‘personality-overcoming-obstacles’ biographies of the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Richard reveals the unique relationship between his one man  show and Patrick Dennis’ infamous work: “I”m a huge fan of his book — it’s still, in my mind, the best satire ever written of a self-serving autobiography which purports to tell the “real story,” while actually reveals nothing except the author’s capacity for self-delusion and ego mania.”

Richards states that his one man show is a satire of everything that is wrong in the entertainment industry.

He opens his show with a spoof which mocks the pretentious, “avant-garde” theater, then follows with a litany of why he has no reason to do a one-man show, again lampooning how so many one-person shows milk personal tragedy for theatrical gratuitous gain.  The show’s critical intention is a counter-balance to over-saturated one man shows in which the performer chronicles his journey to fortune through a list of accomplishments, heroically overcoming adversity to become a star “survivor.”

“I thought it would be interesting to do a show chronicling my list of failures – illustrating the dark underbelly of the “glamorous” life of an actor,” Richard states.

Richard has been featured in many primetime shows, such as The Golden Girls, Young Stan, The West Wing, and ABC’s Pretty Little Liars.

The Lounge Theatre, both comfortable and intimate, is located in Hollywood. Its small theatre is perfect for small solo shows such as Richard Tanner’s small PARTS, incorporating sparse sets. There isn’t a bad seat in the house…just a seat for the bad in the house.

Who’s BAD?

Richard Tanner’s BAD with small PARTS.

Information here: http://smallpartstheshow.com/

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