Love, heartbreak and the search for connection take center stage this fall as Emmy Award-nominated comedian Drew Michael makes his Off-Broadway debut with Love Me, an immersive theatrical comedy coming to New York’s SoHo Playhouse.
Presented by Deaf West Theatre, OHenry Productions, Nimitt Mankad and Prashanth Venkataramanujam, Love Me will play 22 performances from October 24 through November 22 as part of the 2026 New York Comedy Festival. Tickets range from $39 to $99 and are on sale now.
Written and performed by Michael, Love Me takes audiences inside the comedian’s mind as he examines his lifelong search for love through five chapters and five relationships. Rather than simply telling the story from the stage, Michael uses headphones and cinematic sound design to create an intimate experience designed to let audiences experience the story from his perspective.
The production is directed by Peabody Award winner Prashanth Venkataramanujam, whose credits include “Bill Nye Saves the World,” “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj” and Best of the Best.
The show previously earned attention during its acclaimed 2023 run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Guardian described it as “an inventive and intimate set that narrows to a heartfelt conclusion, as Michael invites [the audience] to don headphones and begin experiencing life as he does.”
For Michael, the production also marks a new chapter in a career that has combined stand-up comedy, television and writing. He was a writer for “Saturday Night Live” and has appeared in HBO comedy specials including 2018’s “Drew Michael: Drew Michael” and 2021’s “Drew Michael: Red Blue Green.”
Venkataramanujam is also a longtime collaborator of Michael’s and served as head writer of the 2017 White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
The creative team includes Tony Award nominee Daniel Kluger, who serves as sound designer, and Chelsea Zalikowski, visual access engineer. Evan Bernardin Productions is the production’s general manager.
Produced by Deaf West Theatre, led by Artistic Director DJ Kurs and Managing Director Jeff Perri, the limited engagement brings together comedy and immersive theater for a story that explores one of the most familiar—and often frustrating—human desires: to be loved.
As the show’s cheeky premise puts it: “They say to find love, you have to love yourself… That’s annoying.”
With only 22 performances scheduled, Love Me offers New York audiences a limited opportunity to experience Michael’s unconventional take on romance, relationships and the complicated pursuit of connection.