Perfectly Normel People: Off-Broadway Bound

Guest Grit post by Judy Heath (right)

{ Judy Heath recently co-authored two full-length plays with husband Thomas. She's best known as a psychotherapist and bereavement specialist who has authored two books in her field, but her interest in theater has been ongoing. In fact, she and husband Thomas met acting in New York. “There is a natural correlation between theatre and psychology,” she explains, “One must understand human nature to develop believable characters.” Their first two comedies have enjoyed success, playing to sold out audiences in Charleston, with their second effort, Perfectly Normel People, headed to New York for its off-Broadway premiere at The New York International Fringe Festival.

So, here I sit... a rare moment to myself, and it hits me. That is, all that has transpired since my husband Thomas and I decided to write “Perfectly Normel People,” our second play. It's a comedy about what happens when a college freshman from Kansas moves in with a dysfunctional Italian family in Queens. First there was the staged-reading at The Greater Park Circle Playfest in 2011. The audience reaction encouraged us to take it further. Next came admission to The 2012 Piccolo Spoleto Festival where it happily turned out to be the largest grossing non-musical in The Footlight Players Theatre’s history of the event.

Having met as actors in New York years before, we decided to enter our play into the New York International Fringe Festival, knowing that the odds were well stacked against us. They receive submissions from all over the world.

Our hearts soared as we read the words: “Dear Fringe Participants...” in the letter we received back from them… And then the insanity began!

Having spent many years as a psychotherapist, I know crazy. Our lives have been turned upside down as we set about the process of coordinating the transport of 10 actors, five crew members, sets, costumes, props up the coast for an August 9th open. We leave from Charleston on Tuesday, August 6th, spend a night in Richmond, Virginia and then head up to our rental flat in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

We will have five performances at a terrific Off-Broadway venue: The Players Theatre, right in the heart of Greenwich Village on MacDougal Street.

For two kids originally from New York, this is high honors indeed. This is the first in a three or four blog series as we set out for the adventure of our lifetimes… Stay tuned, for more of our adventures from the Players Theatre in New York!