NEW YORK, NY — Independent theater in Manhattan is on the precipice of a monumental revival. Founder and Executive Producer John Chatterton, a legendary trailblazer in the Off-Off-Broadway movement, has officially announced the grand return of the Midtown International Theatre Festival (MITF). Following a decade-long hiatus, the festival returns from June 15 through July 26, 2026, transforming Manhattan into a massive crucible of creative innovation with ambitious plans to mount the largest independent theater festival in history.

Festival producers have officially named How to Swallow a Volcano, a sharp, fiercely witty one-woman show written and performed by acclaimed humorist and storyteller Anne McDermott, as a premier featured event of the comeback season. This intimate, fast-paced production will anchor the festival’s high-profile summer residency at the historic American Theatre of Actors (ATA) complex in Hell’s Kitchen.

The production will run for three exclusive performances at the start of the festival line-up: Monday, June 15 at 8:00 PM, Thursday, June 18 at 7:15 PM, and Sunday, June 21 at 3:00 PM.

The Story: Choosing Oneself with Total Confidence

How to Swallow a Volcano is a hilarious, fast-paced, and deeply intimate journey through the bizarre art of making bad choices with total confidence. Moving seamlessly between sessions with an unflappable therapist and the vibrant, unpredictable mess of real life, McDermott explores bad romances, family dysfunction, spiritual misadventures, and the peculiar emotional logic that only pure denial can justify.

Developed alongside Emmy Award-winning writer Matt Hoverman and directed by the acclaimed Padraic Lillis, the show dives headfirst into what happens when being “nice” becomes an absolute professional and personal liability. It invites the audience to simultaneously laugh and wince at the beautifully chaotic process of finally learning to choose oneself.

The production arrives at the ATA carrying formidable momentum, hot off a completely sold-out, critically acclaimed New York City premiere at the 124 Bank Street Theatre in late 2025.

In the Therapy Chair: An Interview with Anne McDermott

To unpack the delicate structural balance of mining personal disaster for universal comedy, McDermott shared her insights on vulnerability, narrative anchors, and the power of the festival stage.

On Keeping the Audience on Her Side Through Intentionally Messy Choices:

“The decisions I made were not intentionally messy at the time I made them,” McDermott laughs. “They were born of naïveté and a simple lack of better tools. I find characters who explore their mistakes with honesty and vulnerability the most relatable and enjoyable to watch! I hope audiences are affected by my performance in the same way.”

On the Crucial Function of the “Unflappable Therapist” Character:

“My unflappable, wise, and empowered therapist is the midwife to my transformation, both on and off the stage,” McDermott explains. “Her presence provides the essential ‘anchor’ for the narrative; it is through the lens of our sessions that my character’s journey is filtered. By navigating her steady, non-judgmental gaze, the audience gets a front-row seat to my emotional evolution as it unfolds in real-time.”

About the Artist: Whimsy and Literary Depth

McDermott brings an elite comedic pedigree to the MITF stage. As a prominent, versatile fixture of the New York storytelling and comedy circuits, she has graced the stages of iconic venues including the Comedy Cellar, The Moth, and the Broadway Comedy Club. Notably, she was selected as a featured performer in the prestigious Best of Generation Women showcase at Joe’s Pub.

Beyond her live stage work, McDermott is a highly accomplished writer. Her sharp cultural commentary, comedic essays, and biographical prose have been published in national media staples, including The New York Times, The Daily Beast, and The Belladonna Comedy. Her signature performance style beautifully blends lighthearted whimsy with a devastating, resonant emotional depth.

Solo Performance as an Indie Cornerstone

The selection of How to Swallow a Volcano as a headlining vehicle highlights the core mission of the revitalized Midtown International Theatre Festival. Executively produced by Chatterton in partnership with JMGC, the festival is intentionally utilizing its multi-theater platform at the ATA to give deeply personal, independent solo works a professional launchpad.

For McDermott, planting her flag inside the ATA complex during its historic 50th Anniversary season represents a major professional milestone.

“I am thrilled to participate in the triumphant return of the Midtown International Theatre Festival,” says McDermott. “A long-standing NYC cultural staple, the MITF is renowned for its high-quality performances and artist-friendly model. Joining this season’s revival not only places me within a storied New York institution but signals that my work is ready for the professional spotlight.”

As an expansive canvas for boundary-pushing independent creators, the MITF 2026 framework is actively accepting submissions across a wide array of formats, including one and two-act straight plays, full-scale musicals, solo performances, cabaret acts, theater for young audiences, and 10-minute short pieces designed for the popular MITF Short Play Lab.

Production Summary

• What: How to Swallow a Volcano – A one-woman show written and performed by Anne McDermott
• Director: Padraic Lillis
• Dramaturgical Development: Matt Hoverman
• Festival: The Midtown International Theatre Festival (MITF)
• When: Monday, June 15 at 8:00 PM, Thursday, June 18 at 7:15 PM, and Sunday, June 21 at 3:00 PM
• Where: The American Theatre of Actors (ATA), 314 W 54th St, New York, NY
• ALL PERFORMANCE AVAILABLE TO THE PRESS — TICKETS FOR ALL SHOWINGS ON SALE NOW — CLICK HERE