Steeped in a reverence for the F train as the new Silk Road, SAM’S TEA SHACK is an Ashkenazi Jewish boy’s fantasy he is amongst his ancestors: central Asian nomads. In this malleable exchange between audience and Sam, he serves tea, talks about the neighborhood, Persian emperors, going to high school with Lin-Manuel Miranda, dumplings and samosas, and whatever is on your mind–it’s a piece about cultural identity vs. national identity. It’s a comedy.

Written by Ben Gassman and Sam Soghor
Directed by Meghan Finn
Design by Normandy Sherwood
Featuring Sam Soghor
NY Premiere, 55 min

Special Guests

Sept 12 7pm Nadja Leonard-Hooper

Sept 13 7pm Becky Yamamoto

Sept 14 9:30pm Carl Holder/Kate Weber/Dan Shaki/Ariel Elias

Sept 16 9:30 Jack Frederick

Sept 17 7pm Bill and Phyllis Soghor

Sept 19 9:30pm Jamund Washington

Sept 20 7pm Bob Garbarino

Sept 21 9:30pm Adam Leon

Sept 26 7pm Modesto Flako Jimenez

Sept 27 9:30pm Eliza Bent

Sept 28 9:30pm Eliza Bent

Sept 30 7pm Rebecca Patek

Oct 1 7pm Finale Extravaganza – with My Left Tit

Welcome to Sam’s Tea Shack, a bazaar to house Sam Soghor’s comedy routine/heart break — and a theatrical experience straight out of 1980s New York City. The work is a rumbling therapy session that covers religion and culture and Sam’s young son and drugs and a shitload of old hangups. Make no mistake, Sam will have his say, but feel free to give him hell for it. At The Tank’s awesome new space — the company now has two theaters to support some of the most fine emerging performers out there — Soghor has created a charged yet chilled-out performance matrix; a space where anything can happen so something genuine is possible, but also a space so goofy you never find yourself holding your breath and holding back. It’s a delicate balance that takes sensitive yet passionate theater minds to arrive at, and the fact that Sam’s Tea Shack works is clearly thanks to co-writers Ben Gassman and Soghor. Now, you may feel mad awkward, but that’s Sam’s comedy style. He employs (literally) a panel to heckle him and he gets so worked up about it, and that’s funny too. His style is freewheeling, rather acerbic, particularly to people that are famous he knew as a kid (always punch up), all with a too …Read more