HUMOR ABUSE Returns to ACT, 8/3-19

Lorenzo Pisoni's celebrated one-man show, Humor Abuse, returns to American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) for an exclusive limited engagement.

Created by Pisoni and director Erica Schmidt, Humor Abuse takes us under the big top with Pisoni's incredible true story of growing up as the youngest member of San Francisco's Pickle Family Circus. Celebrating the complicated, no-holds-barred life of a performer, Pisoni shows off the tricks of the trade he learned from his father, Pickle cofounder Larry Pisoni. A hilarious and heartfelt event that will delight audiences of all ages, Humor Abuse dazzles with unforgettable stories and mesmerizing routines. The show has been critically acclaimed throughout its runs around the country: the New York Times called Pisoni "a performer of charisma and charm with the split-second timing and aplomb of Buster Keaton;" Variety praised the show as "surprising, funny, and entirely theatrical;" and during the show's sold-out run in January, the San Francisco Chronicle awarded the show its highest rating, hailing it as "90 minutes of nonstop hilarity . . . a tour de force of physical comedy and a gift to the Bay Area." Humor Abuse performs August 3–19, 2012 at the American Conservatory Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). Press night is Friday, August 3, 2012, at 8 p.m. Tickets (starting at $25) are available by calling the A.C.T. Box Office at 415.749.2228 or at act-sf.org.

About returning to the Bay Area, Pisoni-who previously appeared on the A.C.T. stage in 2005's hugely popular The Gamester and also recently performed in Broadway's Equus alongside Daniel Radcliffe-says: "When I was asked if I was interested in doingHumor Abuse again at A.C.T., there was no question. Being able to share the story of my father and the Pickle Family Circus with Bay Area audiences was an absolute dream come true and I am truly thankful for the opportunity to share it all again."

Pisoni was born into the Pickle Family Circus shortly after his parents, Larry Pisoni and Peggy Snider, founded the alternative big top in 1974 with their juggling partner, Cecil Mackinnon. After Bill Irwin and Geoff Hoyle joined their ranks-creating the incomparable clown trio of Lorenzo Pickle (Pisoni), Willy the Clown (Irwin), and Mr. Sniff (Hoyle)-the Pickles became a venerable and beloved Bay Area institution. They toured the West Coast (and beyond) through the 1980s and ' 90s and led the charge in the renewal of the American circus, exchanging animal acts, pyrotechnics, and the supersized three-ring format with daring acrobatics and its famous show-stopping group juggle, all presented on one intimate stage so audiences would not miss a single moment. Lorenzo Pisoni grew up in this hotbed of creativity, first appearing onstage at the age of two. He became his father's clown partner not long after, and he continued to perform with the troupe during his teens. Pisoni, a natural storyteller, gives the audience a unique take on the familiar coming-of-age story and creates a moving and hilarious portrait of a father-and-son relationship. His recollections are centered around physically demanding tricks (both newly created acts as well as and reenactments of his father's famous Pickle performances) that show off his skills as a juggler, acrobatic, clown, and physical comedian.

The creative team for Humor Abuse includes lighting designer Ben Stanton (Seminar on Broadway, Angels in America at the Signature Theatre), sound designer Bart Fasbender (over 100 productions, including work at The Public Theater, Brooklyn Academy Of Music, and Atlantic Theater Company), and composer Randy Craig (who is an original Pickle Family Circus member and recently composed and performed the music for A.C.T.'s production of Scapin). Humor Abuse is stage-managed by Hannah Cohen.