REVIEW: Come for the slimes, stay for the life story of Marc Summers
Photo: The Life & Slimes of Marc Summers re-creates a scene from Double Dare, which Summers hosted on Nickelodeon. Photo courtesy of Life & Slimes / Provided by JT PR with permission.
NEW YORK — Marc Summers, the TV host of Double Dare, Unwrapped and other speciality programming, has lived a life in the spotlight that makes him instantly recognizable to a certain generation of nostalgia seekers. This reviewer practically grew up with Summers thanks to his multi-year stint on the early Nickelodeon network, and as an adult, that journey continued with the discovery of how mass-produced products are made on Unwrapped.
Now, Summers is in Midtown Manhattan performing in his one-man (sort of) show called The Life & Slimes of Marc Summers. Ostensibly, theatergoers are heading to New World Stages to learn more about the “slimes” part of his career, the many ups and downs of a professional who was welcomed into living rooms for decades. But what those audience members might be surprised by are the personal stories offered by Summers, a man who started off as a down-and-out standup comedian and who dreamed of making it big one day in Hollywood. One challenge he faced (and continues to face) was obsessive compulsive disorder, which caused him to constantly clean and keep things tidy, and when he went public with his diagnosis, some doors actually shut. These stories are why this off-Broadway show has an extra level of profundity.
Over the course of 90 minutes, Summers brings the audience through a soup-to-nuts retelling of his life. The monologue is delivered at a fast pace — perhaps too fast — and offers anecdotes about his childhood, his Jewish faith, his parents, his wife and his attempt to break into a difficult business. He modeled his career after Johnny Carson’s and saw himself in front of a camera making people laugh. What he didn’t expect was that his big break would come on a children’s network called Nickelodeon and on a physical-comedy gameshow called Double Dare.
Read Hollywood Soapbox’s previous interview with Marc Summers.
If there’s anyone in the audience who hasn’t seen Double Dare, no worries. He re-creates a few challenges from the gameshow, much to the delight and excitement of the crowd at New World Stages, where the show continues until June 2. Audience participation seems perfectly appropriate given how Summers built his career, and the games on stage break up the monologue and offer a welcome comedic respite.
The personal struggles of Summers are woven throughout the fabric of the piece. He is open and honest about his OCD, explaining what it means to be living a life that is constantly disrupted by the need to clean. This part of the show is not played for laughs — although Summers is never too far from a one-liner — and instead is meant to be instructive and helpful for those listening from their seats. Summers seems interested in spreading awareness about OCD and ensuring everyone understands there are methods to manage one’s life. Overcoming obstacles — either personal or the TV gameshow kind — is possible.
The Life & Slimes of Marc Summers is a wonderful evening at the theater, offering laughs and profound moments of reflection. Summers has lived a life that is worthy of the one-person-show treatment. He doesn’t simply offer his stories to the audience as a means of showing off; instead, he selects the chapter headings that connect to the lived experiences of the audience members in front of him. This is a giving show, one in which the amenable host freely gives well-earned lessons from a life that wasn’t always easy. For the most part, Alex Brightman’s script works well, even if there are a few bumps in the framing device of how this story is told (no spoilers here). Chad Rabinovitz directs, with original music from Drew Gasparini.
Plus, it needs to be mentioned that this show is a blast. From start to finish, comedy is the main driver of the piece, and Summers ensures that the audience laughs with him, even when the story becomes quite serious. In a cliche way, Summers has built a life and career that follows that oft-repeated slogan: Laughter is the best medicine.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Life & Slimes of Marc Summers, written by Alex Brightman and directed by Chad Rabinovitz, stars Summers, with original music by Drew Gasparini. Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission. Plays through June 2 at New World Stages in Midtown Manhattan. Click here for more information and tickets.
