February 15, 2026 | Theatre,

One-Person Shows at ArtsEmerson

We are just a few days away from welcoming Ahamefule J. Oluo and their musically astounding, hilarious, and surprising new one-person show, The Things Around Us, to the stage of the Emerson Paramount Center! This unique performance combines music (Oluo is a renowned trumpeter!) with comedy and storytelling to invite audiences into a dialgoue about the beauty that surrounds all of the people and places. Before Oluo makes their arrival, let’s take a look back at some other solo performances that have been featured in past ArtsEmerson seasons:

An Iliad (2013 & 2019)

Acclaimed actor Denis O’Hare first came to ArtsEmerson in 2013 with his one-man reimagining of Homer’s epic poem, a performance that brought tales of gods, battles, and glory to life to beg the question: has anything really changed since the Trojan War? O’Hare made his triumphant return to the Paramount Center in 2019 with an encore performance of the show.

Mr. Joy (2016)

ArtsEmerson Artist-in-Residence and playwright Daniel Beaty brought Mr. Joy to not only the Emerson Paramount Center but to neighborhood locations around Boston, all featuring a solo performance by the lauded actress Debra Walton. This was a moving reflection on transforming pain into power – Beaty’s third production with this theme after his other productions of Emergency (another solo performance) and Breath & Imagination.

Mala (2016)

Mala, which had its world premiere at ArtsEmerson in 2016, provided a sharp view on what it means to put our loved ones first, right until the very end, and what can happen when we strive to be good but don’t always succeed. Brought to the stage by Cuban-American playwright Melinda Lopez, this show transported audiences into a world that was  uniquely first generation in its specifics, and universal in its power.

How to Be a Rock Critic (2017)

Based on the writings of Rolling Stone music critic Lester Bangs, How to Be a Rock Critic elated audiences at the Jackie Liebergott Black Box Theatre in May 2017. Part Gonzo rock performance, part mental breakdown — all thrillingly theatrical— How To Be A Rock Critic pulled the greatest hits from Bangs’s own legendary words to imagine a single night of his turbulent life.

Hamnet (2018)

In this U.S. premiere based on the life of William Shakespeare’s only son, a young actor (played first by Ollie West and then Aran Murphy) commanded the Robert J. Orchard stage to confront what it means, and what it costs, to be great. This tour-de-force, originally from Ireland, wowed audiences during its Fall 2018 run, who were especially impressed by the solo performances of West and Murphy.

The Peculiar Patriot (2018)

Inspired by her decades-long work with prison populations, including on the notorious Riker’s Island, Liza Jessie Peterson brought her one-person performance of The Peculiar Patriot to ArtsEmerson in 2018, which unpacked the human impact of mass incarceration in America. In the show, Peterson played Betsy LaQuanda Ross, who makes regular visits to penitentiaries to boost the morale of her incarcerated friends and family.

American Moor (2019)

Written and performed by Keith Hamilton Cobb, American Moor‘s electric storytelling explored the inequities of life as a black actor and life as a black man. The character imagines telling the director, “If you could just see me, I could save you from another cookie cutter Othello.” This 90-minute, tour-de-force solo performance came to ArtsEmerson in Spring 2019 after an award-winning run.

Burgerz (2022)

Part cooking show, part exploration of an obsession, part reclaiming of an act of violence, Travis Alabanza’s Burgerz was unlike any show previously brought to ArtsEmerson. This single performance presented a powerful, hilarious, and unsettling story to audiences at the Emerson Paramount Center during the 21/22 season.

On Beckett (2022)

In On Beckett, world renowned actor and beloved clown-artist Bill Irwin (who you may know as “Mr. Noodle” from Elmo’s World!) explored a performer’s relationship to the works of legendary playwright Samuel Beckett in a fun-filled 90-minute performance built to wow both Beckett completists and novices. Irwin’s physical approach to both the comic and tragic sides of Beckett’s writing invited audiences to experience the writer’s language as they never have before.

The Real James Bond…Was Dominican (2023)

Performer Christopher Rivas took to center stage in November 2023 to dig deeper into the world of James Bond, who Rivas discovered was based on the life and career of Dominican diplomat and spy Porfirio Rubirosa, and what that revelation meant to him as a young Bond-obsessed Dominican boy in Queens with dreams to break into Hollywood as an actor.

Kristina Wong, #FoodBankInfluencer (2025)

Opening our most recent was Kristina Wong, #FoodBankInfluencer, a one-person sing-along-show that explored the American food system, the lack of equitable food distribution across the country, and the American pastime of collecting and giving away free food. This humorous yet poignant show by artist Kristina Wong dazzled audiences, and even left them with some food to take home.

ArtsEmerson is thrilled to continue our legacy of inviting performances of all types to our stages – from ensemble casts to individual artists – by welcoming Ahamefule J. Oluo and The Things Around Us to the Robert J. Orchard Stage at the Emerson Paramount Center from February 20-22. This is a limited run and tickets are selling quickly, so be sure to secure your seats today online, over the phone, or in person at our Box Office! Whether you have joined us for a one-person performance in the past or plan on making The Things Around Us your first one, we look forward to seeing you at the theater soon!