By RICKY J. DUARTE
Lights out in an intimate Off-Broadway theater in the depths of a drizzly Hell’s Kitchen – the dodgy end with a notable history of the hustlers and streetwalkers of yore, somewhere in the mid-40s between 8th and 9th. A video screen above the stage showcases a series of images edited crudely and disturbingly, set to a jarring track of disjointed, unsettling music. Flashes of headshots and images from a woman’s motley past dance across the screen intermixed with the mug of a familiar, widely celebrated television character. This cheeky display is an all-too-familiar nod to fans of American Horror Story. Suddenly, at the opening credits end, in that unmistakable, iconic font, the words AMERICAN WHORE STORY appear in contrasting black and white. Lights up on Naomi Grossman.
In her new solo show (which just closed out its off-Broadway run at New York’s AMT Theater after a successful Los Angeles premiere and brief U.S. tour), Grossman shares intimate and frequently hilarious details of her history of hustling from her first-grade bid at turning a profit to booking her career-changing turn as the microcephalic Pepper on American Horror Story: Asylum & Freak Show – and beyond. Since her turn as Pepper, Grossman has returned to AHS as the evil (to say the least) Samantha Crowe in Apocalypse and garnered a Primetime Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Lorna on Ctrl Alt Delete.
From the moment she utters her opening line (“I’m whore to the core!”), Grossman sweeps the audience through a whirlwind of unbelievably all-true stories, ranging from the obscurest of odd jobs to twists in relationships that rival even the most shocking seasons of AHS. Her penchant for infusing comedy with heartfelt sentiment elicits a steady stream of reactions from the audience, ranging from relatable chuckles to uproarious laughter and even the occasional burst of applause. Yet, Grossman doesn’t rely solely on laughs to transport her audience throughout this tickling tell-all. There’s a fair amount of levity and relatability to her stories that solidify her ability to keep a tight hold on her audience. Energetic direction by Richard Israel provides a thorough pace as Grossman dons elaborate electric capes, gives an impromptu (and inappropriate) Spanish lesson and yoga-poses her way through some sticky situations.
AMERICAN WHORE STORY’s many highlights include Grossman’s turn on AHS and the after-effects of her sudden celebrity status. Peppered (pun intended) with title cards (in that familiar AHS font) informing the audience of time and place, we’re given a first-hand account of an emotional maelstrom of the journey from struggling actor to IMDB’s No. 1-searched celebrity. Tales of her experience at fan conventions enlighten us about the adoration of fans and the impact her performance has on them, and a particular trip to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights to check out the Pepper animatronic in an AHS haunt while under the influence of LSD are particularly spectacular.
It’s clear that Grossman has a deep appreciation for the opportunities she’s been given and what her status as an AHS icon means to horror fans, but what’s so special about this production is that we see glimpses of Grossman in her journey to that life-altering audition that give us a deeper appreciation for her as well. To hear tales of someone who stands up and tries again and again in the bitter face of industry rejection sheds new light onto her portrayal of Pepper and provides a fresh definition of what the word “whore” actually means. You gotta respect the hustle!
Grossman’s greatest achievement in AMERICAN WHORE STORY, though, is that she leaves her audience both rooting for her and proud of her. The entertainment industry is a nasty business, one that deserves its own season of American Horror Story, but it’s artists like Naomi Grossman who inspire those aspiring to press forward. You’ll never book that big gig if you don’t show up to the audition, and that’s perhaps what Naomi does best – show up.
RUE MORGUE’s theatre writer Ricky J. Duarte with Naomi Grossman, post-show. [Photo credit: Michael Martin Flowers]
