The West Coast premiere of Fear of Heights is presented by Odyssey Theatre Ensemble. Written and performed by Kevin Flynn. Directed by Tim Byron Owen. Executive Producers Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly. Produced in association with Georganne Aldrich Heller/Irish Theatre Film Productions and The Sarah Fulton Group. Produced for Odyssey Theatre Ensemble by Beth Hogan.
The iconic picture Lunch atop a Skyscraper is what triggers Kevin Flynn‘s memories of his Irish immigrant family. The solo show is a story of struggles and new opportunities, a sort of American Dream 101. Flynn’s family came from Ireland looking for a better life. They settled in New York where the men found jobs as ironworkers, a job that required working on the construction of skyscrapers. Bear in mind that safety precautions were minimal at the beginning of the 20th century. Some ironworkers lost their lives due to falls from high altitudes. Kevin Flynn was supposed to follow the steps of his father and uncles and become an ironworker. But something got in the way: His fear of heights.
Flynn’s life has been a roller-coaster ever since he decided to try a different career path outside of the ironwork industry. From soccer player to TV host, his career took off and placed him on top of the entertainment industry. Hollywood parties with celebrities, fame, money, travel to exotic locations, and a successful standup comedy career made everything look amazing for the hardworking entertainer. But life is always full of surprises, and some of them are not always the most pleasant ones. Those experiences have been pivotal to shape Flynn’s resilience to navigate life successfully.
The show is not only funny, it is also deep, specially when it connects the hard work with the family values and the love for the new country demonstrated by his family. The risks that many people have taken to provide for their families is well represented in Fear of Heights. Flynn’s Irish experience in America is a typical image of the price many immigrants have paid to succeed in the land of opportunities. It has been a life of great sacrifices, but even greater satisfactions.
Fear of Heights
Odyssey Theatre
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90025
October 12 – October 29
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: Oct. 12, Oct. 19, Oct. 26
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: Oct. 20. Oct. 27
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Oct. 21, Oct. 28
• Sundays at 4 p.m.: Oct. 22, Oct. 29
Tickets: odysseytheatre.com
Written and performed by Kevin Flynn. Directed by Tim Byron Owen. Executive Producers Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly. Produced in association with Georganne Aldrich Heller/Irish Theatre Film Productions and The Sarah Fulton Group. Produced for Odyssey Theatre Ensemble by Beth Hogan. Presented by the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Ron Sossi Artistic Director.
