BIO
Cynthia Kaplan is a NYC based writer, musician and actress. She is the author of two acclaimed collections of comic essays, Why I’m Like This: True Stories, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book and a Booksense bestseller, and Leave the Building Quickly. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Magazine, The Week, Playboy, the Huffington Post, and Tin House among many other publications. She wrote and produced for Andrea Rosen's Take Me to Your Mother on Nickelodeon (including the theme song), and for A & E Biography. She co-wrote the comic short This Won't Hurt a Bit with director Mary Harron for Morgan Spurlock's We the Economy. Kaplan has appeared in many plays and some films, including the award winning short Hold Up; indie features Work; Pipe Dream, which she co-wrote; Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same; and Wild Nights With Emily. Kaplan’s songs have won national and international song contests, her music videos have appeared in comedy film festivals, and she has written jingles for commercials and theme songs for TV shows. She plays regularly in clubs and music venues throughout the country with her band, The Cynthia Kaplan Ordeal. Their first album, Fangry, shot to #8 katrillion on the pop charts. Kaplan co-hosts the monthly comedy show The Ruthless Comedy Hour with comedian Karen Bergreen and tours regularly with Sean Altman of Jewmongous. She is currently the writer of a documentary about the singer Lesley Gore, and her original film, Cindy of Arc was shown in the 2021CineQuest Film Festival. A four night, sold out theatrical workshop of Cindy of Arc was produced by Dixon Place in March 2022, appeared at the Five Angels Theater in October 2022, and will be seen regionally in 2023. Kaplan has never appeared on Law & Order.
BREAKING NEWS: CINDY OF ARC WAS A FINALIST FOR THE 2023 RICHARD RODGERS AWARD FOR MUSICAL THEATER!
Bob Garfield interviews Cindy on The Bully Pulpit Podcast: Cynthia’s Ordeal-Just Another Genius You’ve Never Heard Of. “The perfect convergence of rock and roll trop and middle class Jewish psyche…Witty, angry, sparkling…Transcendence happens.”
WRITING
Books, Essays, Humor
"Knee slapping hilarious... Fans of David Sedaris or Anne Lamott will appreciate (Kaplan's) quirky way of looking at life's intricacies." —USA Today
"Quick-witted, neatly written and unapologetically grandiose... in the spirit of Dorothy Parker... (Why I'm Like This) renders weird and rowdy scenarios with style." —The New York Times
It's high time those of us who grew up as goody-two- shoes got a hilarious advocate." - Bust Magazine
Kaplan once again taps into the self-deprecation vein—to wise, poignant, and often hilarious effect. She knows how to turn random happenings into moments of revelation. -Book list
Some stuff I recently wrote...
Theater
Poster by Intiman Theatre. Photo by Bill Westmorland.
CINDY OF ARC returns by popular demand to
The Laurie Beechman Theatre@West Bank Cafe
November 15 and December 13 at 9:30 p.m. 407 West 42nd Street, NYC
Cindy of Arc was first produced as a (pandemic) concert film appearing at the Cinequest Film Festival, then performed live at Dixon Place Theater in March 2022 and at the Five Angels Theater in October 2022.
Regional productions: Nov. 2023: Seattle’s Tony Award-winning Intiman Theatre’s 50th anniversary season. May 2024: Baltimore Theatre Project. Sept. 2024: Philadelphia Fringe Festival
Cindy of Arc has raised over $11,000 for women’s reproductive rights.
Cindy of Arc (Cynthia Kaplan) unequivocally ROCKS her audience with her music, identity and searing wit. -delcoculturevultures.com
Brilliant and blistering... -NWTheatre.org
...A laugh-out-loud event... That stage is her bully pulpit and she knows it, making use of every square inch to demonstrate her deep talents. -Maryland Theatre Guide
Hilarious...The show gave me early 90’s riot grrl political anarcho-punk folk meets Violent Femmes-style pop-rock. -Baltimore Fishbowl
Raucously successful...A one-woman rock-n-roll tour through human history, mythology, literature, and more. -WBJC Radio, Maryland
Cynthia Kaplan is the funniest, funkiest white girl I've seen. -Nancy Giles, CBS News Sunday Morning
Witty, angry, sparkling…Transcendence happens. -Bully Pulpit
“Epically funny and hyper-intelligent” - Folk Music Radio
“Cindy of Arc is amazing. You’re going to have a ball. ” - Judy Gold
Poster by John Sowinski. Photos by Bill Westmorland and C. Kaplan.
Listen to Music and Watch Videos
GIGS
Come hear my band or see me read live
Friday, May 17, NY Music comedy Festival, 50 Funny songs, 9:30 pm @ The Friar’s Club, 57 E. 55th Street, NYC
Friday, May 1, NY Music Comedy Festival, Happy Hour show, 6 pm @ Pete’s Candy Store, 709 Lormer St, Brooklyn
Tues. Sept 24, Lean Over Comedy Show, stand up New York, 236 W. 78TH ST, NYC, Special Guests Jim Gaffigan, Cory Kahaney, Zarna Garg
Sat. Oct 19, Bahama Fundraiser, Union Square Kitchen, 8 pm.
Tues. Oct 22, Lean over comedy show, 8 pm, stand up New york, 236 W. 78TH ST, NYC, Special Guests: Jessica kirson, Jeannie Gaffigan
Sat. Nov 16, Odd rock comedy our, 7:30 pm, Q.E.D., 27-16 23rd Ave, Astoria
Tues Dec 11, lean over comedy show, stand up New york, 236 W. 78TH ST, NYC, Special Guests: Cory Kahaney, Sean altman
Sat. jan 18, The un-naugural concert, 7:30 pm, Montgomery college, Rockville, MD, with Tom Chapin
Tues Jan 28, lean over comedy show, 8 pm, stand up New york, 236 W. 78TH ST, NYC, Special Guests: Judy Gold & Ted Alexandro
Wed Sept 22, 2021, The Ruthless Comedy Hour, 8 pm, Stand Up new york, 236 w. 78th st, nyc, special guests, carmen lynch & sarah fearon
Thurs Nov 11, 2021, the NY comedy festival presents the ruthless comedy hour, 8 pm, stand up New York, 236 w.78th st, nyc, special guests: John fuselsang & judy gold
Fri nov 12, 2021, robert sikoryak’s carousel, 7:30 pm, the city reliquary, 370 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY, doors @ 7:15
Thurs Dec 16, The Ruthless Comedy Hour Holiday show, 8 pm Stand Up New York, 236 2.78th st, NYC, special guests: Ilana levine & Robin Montague
February 28, March 7, March 14, 2022, CINDY OF ARC, Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie Street, NYC
Breaking news
THE RUTHLESS COMEDY HOUR!
Hey, I know I haven't mentioned it lately, but roaring into year five of Lean Over, Karen Bergreen and I acquired an awesome new partner, nationally known comedian Cory Kahaney and we changed our name to THE RUTHLESS COMEDY HOUR. Thanks that asshole the Coronavirus, we’ve moved the show on line, and it usually happens on the third Friday of every month. Or so. Hopefully when this shit show is over we’ll be back to our home at the iconic comedy club Stand Up New York. Our guests have included Jim Gaffigan, Susie Essman, Michael Ian Black, Wendy Liebman, Cathy Ladman, Janelle James, Judy Gold, Dave Hill, Ted Alexandro, Myq Kaplan (no relation--there are thousands of us), Mike Albo, Marina Franklin, Jeannie Gaffigan, AJ Jacobs, Ophira Eisenberg, Jessica Kirson, Josh Gondelman, Roy Wood Jr., Carmen Lynch, and sooo many others. We also, because we are totally holier that thou, give the lions’ share of the proceeds from each show to an organization whose beneficiaries are under threat by the current REGIME. These have included the ACLU, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Physicians for Reproductive Health, and the Equal Justice Initiative. So come. There is alcohol (now provided by you), great comedy and music (mostly mine), and decent food (yours again). And you'll do some good for someone, somewhere. You can find us on the interweb at www.ruthlesscomedyhour.com or make reservations at ruthlesscomedyhour@gmail.com.
CONTACT Cynthia
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