About the Show
After a hugely successful premiere in New York, actor David Dean Bottrell (Modern Family, the new Frasier, etc) returns to The Whitefire with his latest hilarious solo show, TEENAGE WASTELAND: Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen (a collection of unfortunately true stories from his early adolescence). Join David for five interwoven tales of heartbreak, hard-ons and hair. Last year, David won the NYC Bistro Award & as well as the Los Angeles Stage Scene Award for “Outstanding Achievement in Storytelling,” and played to packed houses in Palm Springs, New York, Los Angeles, Sag Harbor and Nantucket.
“Side-Splitting…Teenage Wasteland is a must-see. Bottrell’s knack for discovering humor and meaning in the chaos of adolescence is nothing short of extraordinary, making this show a triumph of both heart and artistry” – Front Row Center
“Bottrell’s mastery over his craft reaches a fresh peak, blending humor, hilarious anecdotes, heartbreak, and raw honesty…Every laugh is earned, and every emotional moment feels authentic. His stories aren’t just entertaining—they’re cathartic, transforming personal discomfort into communal healing.” – OpeningNightNYC.com
“Hysterical…Bottrell’s take on the human condition is deeply consoling” — Los Angeles Times.
“EXPLICIT, HILARIOUS & HONEST… Bottrell achieves a level of vulnerability that is rarely seen on stage…” — Onstage New York
“Bottrell’s mastery over his craft reaches a fresh peak, blending humor, hilarious anecdotes, heartbreak, and raw honesty…Every laugh is earned, and every emotional moment feels authentic. His stories aren’t just entertaining—they’re cathartic, transforming personal discomfort into communal healing.” – OpeningNightNYC.com
“Hysterical…Bottrell’s take on the human condition is deeply consoling” — Los Angeles Times.
“EXPLICIT, HILARIOUS & HONEST… Bottrell achieves a level of vulnerability that is rarely seen on stage…” — Onstage New York
“David’s work is truly wonderful. Like a gorgeous jigsaw puzzle of hilarious, yet deeply compelling stories.” — Charles Busch, NYC Theatre Icon
“Hilarious… If you’re familiar with David Dean Bottrell, you may know him from his many, many, many episodic TV appearances, but going forward, he should be known as the man behind Teenage Wasteland: Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen… Bottrell’s one-man show is a riot and so, so familiar… he’s entitled to be the hero of his own story, a story that many gay men will recognize as a version of their own.” – BoyCulture.com
“A gorgeous, moving, hysterical deep dive into Midwestern pubescence… Like miniature movies, each story has a brilliantly unique setup, a hysterical escalation, a painfully relatable point of no return, and a deliciously satisfying conclusion.” — DanielTobias.com
Production Team
