The Funny Thing About A Panic Attack

Author and performer Ben Kassoy brings poems from his spectacularly original book to life in The Funny Thing About A Panic Attack, a poetry and dance solo show celebrated as "4+ stars" (Carolyn Art Media), “Inspired” (LA Hidden Gems), and “Powerful” (Lothian Life Magazine).

After making its international debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, The Funny Thing About A Panic Attack returns to LA at the Broadwater Black Box in Hollywood.

Bursting with humor, heart, and defiant wonder in the face of anxiety, the show uses spoken word, dance, and physical theater to reveal the connections between panic, poetry…and pancakes. (Psst…check out the sneak peek trailer here!)

Coming off a sold-out preview and earning a nomination for the NAMBA Splash Award for Excellence in Cultural Performance Arts at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, The Funny Thing About A Panic Attack opens a timely, courageous conversation about mental health, stigma, masculinity, and family, delving into the writer’s journey with panic attacks. While the story is personal, it's also widely relatable, inviting audiences to explore how all of us can find strength, healing, and a path forward after trauma.

Content Warning

Discussion and depictions of mental health crisis, mentions of suicide and self-harm.

Read more including:

“Simply GORGEOUS! Completely captivating! This show was so unique, heartfelt, genuinely funny, and powerfully real. I laughed and cried. Could easily see this as a Netflix or HBO series. This is a Fringe MUST SEE!” – Rachel Troy, creator of BABY (Hollywood Fringe Top of Fringe Award 2024)

“Ben’s performance is totally captivating from start to finish. The poetry – gorgeous and delightful on its own – is only the first layer. There’s so much EXPRESSION in this show, and I found myself fully mesmerized. It’s a well-crafted piece of theater, beautifully acted, marvelously directed, with excellent original music.” – Mark Vigeant, creator of The Best Man Show (Hollywood Fringe Best Comedy 2024)

About Ben Kassoy

Ben Kassoy (he/him) is an award-winning writer. He is the coauthor of nine books, including the poetry collection The Funny Thing About A Panic Attack (Bottlecap Press, 2023). Ben’s poetry appears in Ghost City Review, JMWW, Defunct Magazine, Pithead Chapel, Cobra Milk, Bodega, Sky Island Journal, Human Parts, and others. He has also written for the websites of Elle, GQ, Teen Vogue, Glamour, Details, Women’s Health, AskMen, Bustle, Elite Daily, Well+Good, Brooklyn Magazine, and others. Read more at www.benkassoy.com.

About The Team

The Funny Thing About A Panic Attack is directed by Joanna Simmons, director of Mark Vigeant’s Make Pleases You, which won the Hollywood Producers’ Encore Award at the 2023 Hollywood Fringe Festival, and Best Man Show (2024 Hollywood Fringe Best Comedy). The show was choreographed by Emory University Professor of Dance Julio Medina and features music from Matt Lipkins of Lippy and The Shadowboxers, which toured with Justin Timberlake and The Indigo Girls, and have been featured in TIME, Billboard, and many others.

Host or Publisher Ben Kassoy