I'm On Lithium: A Comedic Journey About Bipolar Disorder
John F. O’Donnell (Comedy Central, NY Times, NAMI-NYC) is an accomplished, national headlining comedian with over 20 years of experience. He’s also struggled with Bipolar 1 Disorder for just as long. In his uproariously hilarious and deeply meaningful one man show, “I’M ON LITHIUM,” John recounts a wild, full-blown, psychotic manic episode he experienced in 2008. This amazing whirlwind of a true story finds John running through the streets of Dublin, Ireland 100% convinced that the CIA and descendants of the Nazis are trying to assassinate him. Have no fear, though. John’s not alone. The delusion also entails that he’s being protected by the Irish Republican Army and Bono from U2!!! This truly unique show uses humor and vulnerability to provide real insight into the thought-process of the manic mind. John is proud to present this redemptive work as the next chapter in his longtime continued efforts to use comedy to destigmatize mental illness.
John F. O'Donnell
John F. O'Donnell is an NYC-based, national headlining comedian with over 20 years of experience. He was a correspondent on the radical comedy news TV show, ‘Redacted Tonight,’ for 5 years. His recent one hour stand up special, 'The Manic Depressive Chocolate Fountain Operator,' was directed by Brendan Canty of Fugazi and released on the 800 Pound Gorilla Media label. According to the Comedy Central Insider, "John F. O'Donnell is one of the more explosive comics in New York City. On stage, he's like a tightly capped liter of soda filled with lit fireworks."
John has been featured in The New York Times and The LA Times, as well as being one of Comedy Central's Fresh Faces of Comedy. He has performed at a number of comedy festivals around the country and beyond, including The San Francisco Sketch Festival, The Bridgetown Comedy Festival, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The New York Comedy Festival, The Bentzen Ball Comedy Festival, and The Limestone Comedy Festival. He's been a favorite guest on the popular podcasts ‘You Made It Weird w/ Pete Holmes,’ ‘RISK! w/ Kevin Allison,’ and ‘Keith and the Girl.’
John is also the co-creator and host of the 20-city hit show, ’50 First Jokes.’ He recently performed a week of shows in Germany, where he headlined the prestigious 'English Theatre Berlin.' John has also performed at the legendary 'JFK Center For The Performing Arts,' and has been interviewed by Larry King. JFOD was given a Congressional Press Credential during the Presidential election and was seen covering the debates on location for ‘Redacted Tonight,’ which, if you know him, seems like a terrible breach of security. John currently has a podcast called, ‘Take Your Pills, Psychopath!' that uses comedy to destigmatize mental health issues. His newest endeavor is a solo show entitled, ‘I’M ON LITHIUM: A Comedic Journey About Bipolar Disorder,’ which he performs in residency in New York City.
John F. O’Donnell (Comedy Central, NY Times, NAMI-NYC) is an accomplished, national headlining comedian with over 20 years of experience. He’s also struggled with Bipolar 1 Disorder for just as long. In his uproariously hilarious and deeply meaningful one man show, “I’M ON LITHIUM,” John recounts a wild, full-blown, psychotic manic episode he experienced in 2008. This amazing whirlwind of a true story finds John running through the streets of Dublin, Ireland 100% convinced that the CIA and descendants of the Nazis are trying to assassinate him. Have no fear, though. John’s not alone. The delusion also entails that he’s being protected by the Irish Republican Army and Bono from U2!!! This truly unique show uses humor and vulnerability to provide real insight into the thought-process of the manic mind. John is proud to present this redemptive work as the next chapter in his longtime continued efforts to use comedy to destigmatize mental illness.
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- Patrons must be 18 or older to attend events or classes at the DC Improv. Any exceptions are clearly noted in the event descriptions.
- There is a two-item minimum per customer. This can be any combination of food items or beverages. Bottled water and soft drinks count as items. (The two-item minimum does not apply to comedy classes.)
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Seating Policies
- Shows in our lounge showroom are seated by time of arrival. The earlier you arrive, the more options you'll have. Please note that the size of your party can affect what options are available to you, as certain tables and areas are designated for larger parties.
- For general admission tickets, if your party does not fill an entire table, you may be sharing a table with other patrons.
John F. O’Donnell (Comedy Central, NY Times, NAMI-NYC) is an accomplished, national headlining comedian with over 20 years of experience. He’s also struggled with Bipolar 1 Disorder for just as long. In his uproariously hilarious and deeply meaningful one man show, “I’M ON LITHIUM,” John recounts a wild, full-blown, psychotic manic episode he experienced in 2008. This amazing whirlwind of a true story finds John running through the streets of Dublin, Ireland 100% convinced that the CIA and descendants of the Nazis are trying to assassinate him. Have no fear, though. John’s not alone. The delusion also entails that he’s being protected by the Irish Republican Army and Bono from U2!!! This truly unique show uses humor and vulnerability to provide real insight into the thought-process of the manic mind. John is proud to present this redemptive work as the next chapter in his longtime continued efforts to use comedy to destigmatize mental illness.