A Peacock In The Rubble

Marissa shares deeply personal and enlightening stories from her life and struggles with OCD, all set under the backdrop of the looming Eaton Fire. It was a beautiful show, highlighted by a segment where she plays music and sings to home videos of herself. ... full review

Honest, deep, moving, and refreshingly vulnerable. Marissa is an absolute delight and her exploration of her life story brought tears to my eyes and grew my heart three sizes. ... full review

Vulnerable, funny, heartbreaking… Marissa Rutka uses this show as catharsis to rise from literal ashes. I was torn between wanting to hold her hand throughout or standing aside and letting her dance. The editing of home movies into the narrative worked so well, and she’s a welcome voice in the LA theater scene.... full review

First off, this play got me good. Moved to tears good. "The Peacock in the Rubble" is a vulnerable, uncompromising look into the complex world of OCD and how that can affect a person in light of external traumas. Marissa Rutka delivers a compelling performance that will make you think, laugh, then hit you right in the gut. A brave performance matched with excellent tech, this show elevates the solo show standard, and is one of the best productions I've seen this Fringe.... full review

Incredibly moving, intimate performance exploring growing through grief, the resilience of the human spirit and healing power of community. Marissa's inherent warmth makes her feel like an old friend and her vulnerability while discussing OCD and its profound effects on her life was powerful and illuminating. I laughed, cried and felt deeply alive. Highly recommend!... full review

I was really impressed with how much this show really drops into vulnerable and intimate moments and still had an aspect of play and finding the fun in it all. The writing feels like a natural narrative rather than an educational theater show about OCD. An incredible job through and through to this entire cast and crew. ... full review

Marissa is incredibly charming. There is both power and softness in her presence. She connects with every single soul in the audience and you can’t help but to open your heart up to her and go on the ride. Intimate, vulnerable, eye-opening, heart-breaking, heart-mending, and a healthy dash of millennial nostalgia (hell yeah). Loved the use of various media (videos, photos, live music!)—kept it engaging. Thank you for sharing your life with us Marissa. Congrats to the team on a beautiful show!... full review

I loved it! Marissa did a wonderful job in this solo show. She was able to perform a positive view on a tragic situation and also make you laugh at times. I was able to relate to her completely as I too, experienced a fire and lost everything. ... full review

Marissa brings essential insight and emotional weight to what it means to live with OCD on a daily basis. Though I’ve known others with OCD, Peacock in the Rubble opened my eyes to lesser-known manifestations, particularly around social anxiety, which made the eventual recounting of the LA Fires all the more harrowing. And yet, through it all, Marissa survives—with humor, community, and the courage to turn her past into a play that embraces both pain and joy. ... full review

Amazing show full of heart and authenticity. Made me smile, made me cry. Loved it! ... full review