On October 16 and 18, comedian and actor Brian Leonard brings Therapist Zero, which he wrote and stars in, to New York City’s Theater Row as part of the United Solo festival. The show is “an unflinching, darkly funny solo show” tracing a decades-long journey through misdiagnoses, meltdowns, and moments of grace with Leonard’s troubled but brilliant daughter. Along the way, Leonard reflects on his own chaotic childhood: smoking by second grade, forgotten during a family trip to Niagara Falls, etc., and how that upbringing shaped the parent he became.
We spoke with Leonard about the upcoming NYC performances of the show.
What are you most looking forward to about bringing Therapist Zero to NYC’s United Solo festival?
I’m thrilled to be bringing this show to New York because this is a city that appreciates stories told raw, without varnish. Therapist Zero is darkly funny and unflinchingly honest, but it’s also deeply hopeful. New Yorkers know a thing or two about chaos and resilience, so I feel like they’ll get it in their bones. And Theatre Row is such an intimate space; it’s the perfect container for this story.
How would you pitch this show to someone unfamiliar with you?
It’s the story of raising a brilliant but troubled daughter, and the endless revolving door of therapists who couldn’t help her. Along the way, I weave in my own chaotic childhood, and how that shaped the parent I became. It’s a mix of gallows humor, absurdity, and heart—like if Spalding Gray and Fleabag had a very dark, but ultimately redemptive baby.
When you tour with a show like this, how much revision do you do between performances? Between runs? Have you discovered anything about the show by performing it?
Oh, constantly. It’s part stand-up, part storytelling, part excavation. Every time I perform, I learn where the laughs really land and where the silence carries more weight than words. At first, I thought the show was about failure – the therapists, the meltdowns, the missed chances. But what I’ve discovered performing it is that it’s really about survival, persistence, and the imperfect ways we love. The audience teaches me that every night.
What next steps do you have planned for Therapist Zero?
After New York, I’m looking at taking the show to other fringe festivals: Toronto, maybe Edinburgh. And I’d love to record a filmed version, because these stories resonate with parents, teachers, and anyone who’s ever tried to help someone they love and felt completely out of their depth. The story keeps evolving, and so does my sense of where it belongs.
Aside from working on this show, what have you been filling your time with lately?
Well, I’m a longtime video director; I just finished a really nice piece, co-directed with my wife, for a kids’ non-profit called Yoots. I’m grateful to have some time right now to do pro bono work for projects like that. We love to travel, I think our next trip is to the UK to see a musical about The Kinks. And I’m always finding an excuse to go see live music any chance I can.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
If you’ve ever sat in a waiting room wondering if the person you love will ever get the help they need, or if you’ve ever wrestled with your own demons and found humor in the absurdity of it all, this show is for you. Come laugh, cry, and maybe recognize a little of yourself in Therapist Zero.
Learn more about Leonard, the show, and how to buy tickets to the upcoming NYC performances at www.therapistzero.com
