About the Artist

For the past three decades, performance artist and musician Brian Shapiro has been presenting original productions and songs that explore our relationships to ourselves, our fellow human beings, and our interactions with the world around us. Through multiple genres, he explores the struggle to hold on to one’s convictions in the face of growing up in a world filled with smoke and no mirrors. Brian dismantles anger and disappointment piece by piece, rearranging it into something far more constructive. Often humorous and never boring, his storytelling focuses on themes of distorted thinking, the idea of what it means “to be normal, ” and the question of how to accept hard truths we may not be ready to accept. Shapiro has been called a “keen observer in his songwriting capacity” with a "freewheeling creativity" that "sparkles with skewed humor." His songs are said to be "percolating with idiosyncratic intelligence, " possessing "a tone and phrasing reminiscent of Nick Cave." Brian's singular narrative style is quirky, thought-provoking, and whimsical. Brian holds a BA and a MA in Communication Studies, attended a doctoral program in Performance Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, and teaches communication at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and Organizational Dynamics programs. Brian also maintains a daily tai chi, yoga, and meditation practice and is a self-care advocate. He currently lives in Philadelphia with his wife and their two sons.

Accessibility & Content Considerations

Contact the Fringe Festival Box Office for up to date accessibility information.

This event is appropriate for ages 13+

Covid-19 Safety policy

This event does not require masks to be worn