Therapist Zero – be-Creative (Brian Leonard)
Description:
Therapist Zero is a darkly funny solo show about a father trying to help his brilliant but struggling daughter, only to run headfirst into a maze of psychiatrists, broken systems, and his own past.
Venue – Southern Theater
Content Warnings – Adult Language, Mental Illness
Genre and Content – Solo Show, Comedy, Spoken Word, Storytelling
Ages 18 and Up Only
With this one, it’s the pedigree.
From San Francisco to off-Broadway to the UK, and now to Minneapolis.
Glowing reviews all around, which you can find both in the show image and on the More Information tab on their show page on the Fringe site.
The press packet materials have this expansion on the synopsis:
"What happens when the experts don’t have answers? In Therapist Zero, former stand-up comic Brian Leonard uses humor and brutal honesty to chronicle two decades raising a brilliant but emotionally explosive daughter through 28 therapists, while confronting the long shadow of his own unconventional childhood. Both funny and deeply human, the show explores parenting, masculinity, mental health, and the difficult work of breaking generational cycles."
Then the More Information tab goes further:
“Therapist Zero is an unflinching, darkly funny solo performance about raising a brilliant but troubled daughter, and the endless revolving door of therapists who couldn’t help her. Written and performed by Leonard and directed by Ken Sonkin, the piece traces a decades-long journey through misdiagnoses, meltdowns, and moments of unexpected grace.
Along the way, Leonard reflects on his own chaotic childhood: smoking by 2nd grade, being left at home at age five for a family trip to Niagara Falls, and how that upbringing shaped the parent he became.
Following its San Francisco premiere, the show was selected as a Critics’ Pick by the San Francisco Chronicle, and resonated strongly with audiences, including parents, mental health professionals, and fellow artists, who praised its candid storytelling and emotional impact. Audiences have hailed the piece as “funny, vulnerable, and captivating.” TheaterMania praises the show for its “…unflinching honesty, warmth, and wit;” and SFFringe calls Therapist Zero “…an absolute gem of a show! Leonard takes the audience on an unforgettable journey.”
Therapist Zero is a sharp, darkly funny critique of the mental health industry wrapped inside a deeply moving story of a father desperate to help his daughter. Instead of a standard chronological monologue, the show functions as a beautifully braided narrative: intertwining my daughter Emily's struggles, a relentless procession of therapists, my own childhood memories of benign neglect, and present-day reflections. It’s part stand-up, part dramatic memoir, and completely unsparing of both the mental health system and myself. Therapist Zero has played to sold-out houses off-Broadway, the San Francisco Fringe and the Brighton (UK) Fringe. The show has resonated deeply with both critics and audiences.”
Then there’s the bios of the writer/performer and director:
"Brian Leonard
Writer and Performer
Brian Leonard is a writer, performer, and storyteller whose career spans stand-up comedy, television, theater, and animation. A veteran of the stand-up circuit in the 1980s and 1990s, Brian appeared on numerous TV comedy shows, earning praise as “…one of San Francisco’s most intelligent and funniest comedians” (San Jose Mercury News). As an actor, he’s appeared in films like Bottle Shock and Bee Season, TV shows including Nash Bridges and David E. Kelly’s Girls Club, and regional theater productions from San Francisco Shakespeare and TheaterWorks, among others. His writing credits include writing and directing for Ellen DeGeneres, Jason Sudeikis, and Mindy Kaling; writing for BBC Radio’s The Treatment, and story consulting for Pixar Animation. He’s also had an animated series optioned by NBC/Universal. Brian’s work has been honored with a Silver Hugo from the Chicago International Film Festival, and his writing for a UK campaign to de-stigmatize fertility issues was recognized by the Webby Awards. With a background in both performance and writing, Brian brings humor, heart, and sharp storytelling to the stage in Therapist Zero, his first solo show.
Ken Sonkin
Director
Ken Sonkin is an award-winning actor and director with an extensive career on stages throughout the Bay Area and beyond, including American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Rep, San Francisco Playhouse, The Magic Theatre, and Z Space. His regional credits include The Denver Center Theatre Company, Grove Shakespeare Festival, and Pacific Resident Theater in Los Angeles. A seasoned performer and director, Ken has collaborated with acclaimed playwrights such as Oliver Goldstick, Brian Thorstenson, and Lynne Kaufman. He has served on the acting faculty at American Conservatory Theater and taught at Northwestern, Stanford, and The National Theatre Conservatory. Ken is currently a professor at the University of San Francisco, where he teaches acting and directing and has helmed productions of Angels in America: Perestroika, Metamorphoses, and Tartuffe. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity and SAG-AFTRA."
There doesn’t seem to be a downside to giving this one a shot. I’m not anti-therapy myself, the two times I needed it in my life, it REALLY helped me, but I’m not averse to listening to someone who seems to have had a lot more challenges with the system.
Interested in hearing about other artists I recommend based on past outings in the Fringe? Here's a link to a list of all the coverage of returning favorite artists from past pre-Fringe Top 20 lists of mine that are part of this year's Minnesota Fringe Festival. And here's links to the 2026 versions of my pre-Fringe Top 10 list and Top 11 through 20 for the 2026 festival as we ramp up toward the start of the Fringe on August 6th.
