Pat Candaras Decides Panic Is Not a Disorder in NYC Fringe Show, Aug. 9-23

By Kenneth Jones
09 Aug 2003

Pat Candaras
Pat Candaras
Photo by Joan Marcus

Panic Is Not a Disorder, the latest performance piece by author and solo performer Pat Candaras, plays the New York International Fringe Festival, Aug. 9-23.

Anonymous Allies presents the run, directed by Rusty Owen. Candaras is known to fans as Grandmotherfucker (the title of her previous show, seen at Don't Tell Mama), and has played internationally, from Edinburgh to Hong Kong.

"Pat, born into an Irish-Catholic family, is one of 17 children," according to production notes. "There's enough material in that one statement to devote an evening to, but there's a lot more for this Brooklyn native to skewer."

She describes her latest show as "an exploration of the daily rituals of life as set against current events, the comedy of concrete plans built on insubstantial information and how biology is the force that forms life's path."

Religion, marriage, debt, therapy, love, doctors, pets, pet owners, shopping, exercise, sex, pornography, the Taliban, terrorists and even death are all addressed in the new show.

Candaras' one-woman show Grandmotherfucker debuted at the 2001 Edinburgh Fringe Festival under the direction of Tim Fountain. It then enjoyed a successful run in summer 2002 at Don't Tell Mama in New York City and, in fall 2002, played Hong Kong. She previously wrote and performed (at Dixon Place) the one-woman show I Am a Very Busy Woman. She has appeared in such New York City clubs as Stand-Up New York, Luna Lounge and is a regular at PSNBC's Alternative Comedy Show.

Her credits include Ladies Comedy Circle (Theatre for the New City) and New York Women Talking Dirty (Stamford Center for the Arts). Her theatre credits include Sister Loves You, a new play by Bob Auglund, produced by the Nantucket Repertory Theatre.

The twice-married, mother of three who is now widowed, spent 23 years in corporate America. "In her fifties with her children raised, Pat found herself widowed and unemployed," according to production notes. "She decided comedy was the only place to go."

Performances play The Ground Floor Theatre, 312 W. 11th St. (between Hudson and Greenwich Streets). Fringe shows are presented on scattered dates and times. Tickets are $15. For information, call (212) 279-4488 or visit www.FringeNYC.org.