Advice at Florida Studio Theatre: A Hilarious and Thought-Provoking Take on the Self-Help Craze
By Susan Short
The self-help industry. We’ve all been there—grabbing a book off the shelf, hoping that one guru or another has the magic words to fix our love lives, careers, or that ever-elusive search for happiness. Advice, now running at Florida Studio Theatre as part of its Stage III Series, takes that obsession, shakes it up, and delivers a laugh-out-loud comedy that’s as biting as it is insightful.
This National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere, penned by the ever-clever Brent Askari, doesn’t just poke fun at our fixation with self-improvement—it holds up a mirror and dares us to look. And, believe me, the reflection is both hilarious and uncomfortably relatable.
The Setup: When Bad Advice Goes Too Far
At the center of the chaos are Ron and Joy, a professional couple who, like most of us, think they have their lives together—until they don’t. Enter Gary, their well-meaning but completely clueless friend, who stumbles upon a book deal for his self-help manuscript. The problem? Gary has absolutely no business giving advice to anyone. But that doesn’t stop him.
When Ron and Joy attempt to stage an intervention to prevent Gary from quitting his day job in favor of becoming a full-time life coach, the situation spirals into unexpected—and wildly entertaining—mayhem. Along the way, buried secrets bubble to the surface, and the once-stable trio finds themselves questioning everything they thought they knew about success, happiness, and, of course, each other.
The Performances: A Cast That Delivers the Laughs—and the Heart
Bringing Askari’s razor-sharp script to life is a cast that delivers comedy with pitch-perfect timing.
- Amanda Kristin Nichols (Joy) shines as the high-strung, no-nonsense professional who can’t quite believe what’s happening to her life. Nichols is a force—commanding the stage with a mix of exasperation and vulnerability that makes Joy instantly relatable.
- James Evans (Ron) plays the straight man to perfection, grounding the play with his dry humor while expertly riding the waves of chaos that unfold around him.
- Patrick Noonan (Gary) is the real show-stealer. As the well-intentioned, blissfully unaware guru-in-the-making, Noonan delivers a performance so earnest and ridiculous that you can’t help but root for him—even as you cringe at his life choices.
Together, they create a dynamic that is as hilarious as it is unexpectedly moving.
Sharp Writing & Spot-On Direction
Brent Askari, an award-winning playwright known for his sharp-witted and socially aware scripts, crafts a play that’s as smart as it is entertaining. His dialogue crackles with energy, and the rapid-fire exchanges between the characters make for some of the funniest moments I’ve seen on stage this season.
Nancy Rominger, Florida Studio Theatre’s Associate Artist and the director of this production, keeps the pacing tight, allowing the humor to land while ensuring that the play’s deeper themes still resonate. “This bombardment of self-help messaging begs the question: who is actually qualified to give advice?” Rominger notes. “And perhaps more importantly—would we even listen if they were?”
That question lingers long after the final bow.
Beyond the Laughter: A Play That Hits Home
Sure, Advice is laugh-out-loud funny. But beneath its witty banter and over-the-top situations lies something deeper: a reflection on how we seek meaning and validation in a world that constantly tells us we need to be better, richer, happier, more.
The self-help industry is a billion-dollar behemoth, built on the idea that there’s always something wrong with us that needs fixing. Advice flips that idea on its head, forcing us to ask: What if we’re already enough? What if, instead of searching for the next big answer, we just live?
A Must-See Comedy with Substance
Florida Studio Theatre’s Stage III Series has long been a home for bold, provocative work, and Advice is no exception. It’s fresh, it’s funny, and it’s one of those rare comedies that actually makes you think.
Tickets are already going fast, so do yourself a favor—skip the self-help books for one night and see Advice instead. Trust me, it’s the best guidance you’ll get all year.
“Florida Studio Theatre’s Advice is a timely and hilarious exploration of the self-help industry, brought to life by a talented cast and creative team.” — Susan Short
https://www.floridastudiotheatre.org
