Steve Budd’s Insightful Take on Love, Laughter, and the Jewish Soul

by Kathryn Gainor

What kind of person leans into the ache of loneliness instead of shying away from it? Who turns a mirror on their own search for love—not just to reflect, but to help others laugh, cry, and think a little deeper about the whole messy experience?

Meet Steve Budd: actor, writer, standup comic, and solo performer. He’s funny, fearless, and endlessly curious—but above all, he’s a mensch. Not in a grand, dramatic way, but in the way that makes you want to pull up a chair and share your childhood crushes, awkward dating stories, and that one time you accidentally sabotaged your own happiness out of fear.

Steve is the kind of storyteller who makes you feel less alone—even when he’s telling stories about being, well, very much alone.

From Boston to the Bay—and Beyond

Steve Budd hails from Boston, Massachusetts—a city famous for its neurotic intellectuals, weather-related grievances, and history buffs. It’s no surprise that much of Steve’s work, especially his solo theater, feels like a one-man Ellis Island of ideas. He brings together a mashup of voices, perspectives, and comedic moments, all grounded in something deeply personal.

After settling in the Bay Area, Steve became a mainstay in the local theater scene, performing with venues like San Francisco Playhouse, New Conservatory Theatre Center, and Marin Shakespeare Company. He didn’t just act—he immersed himself in stories. Real stories. Often uncomfortable ones. And he started to ask a question many of us avoid: What does love look like when you’re not part of the picture-perfect couple?

In his solo show, What They Said About Love (2016), Steve interviewed couples who’d been through it all—first dates, second marriages, polyamory, heartbreak—and performed their stories alongside his own. The result? Something raw, honest, and incredibly funny.

Old World Echoes: How Jewish Ideas Inspire Him

While Steve Budd’s work doesn’t explicitly label itself as “Jewish theater,” the influence of Jewish tradition is unmistakable if you listen closely. Storytelling—a cornerstone of Budd’s performances—is also central to Jewish culture, serving as the main way history, memories, and wisdom are passed down. From ancient texts to family legends, stories are how lessons are taught and communities are built.

By carefully shaping his personal stories to reveal universal truths, Budd follows in this long tradition. His knack for sharing engaging, self-aware tales—often with sharp wit and keen observation—fits right into a heritage that values storytelling as a primary way to connect, understand, and make meaning.

A Voice for the Lonely and Looking for Love

Perhaps the most important thing Steve Budd’s art does is connect deeply with people who are single and searching for connection in today’s world. In an age full of picture-perfect romance stories, Budd offers something refreshingly different: an honest, often hilarious, and deeply compassionate look at what it’s really like to seek love, face rejection, and still find ways to thrive while alone.

His stories serve as a comfort, transforming private anxieties into shared laughter. For anyone who has felt alone in their search for a partner, seeing their awkward dates, misunderstandings, and moments of self-doubt reflected on stage can be incredibly reassuring. Budd essentially tells his audience, “You’re not alone in this complicated journey.” By doing so, he fosters a sense of togetherness and understanding. He reframes painful experiences—not as personal failings, but as universal parts of being human. The bumps and bruises of dating aren’t signs of failure, he suggests, but common threads woven into everyone’s story.

Beyond validating these experiences, Budd’s work champions a deeper sense of self-worth—one that isn’t dependent on being in a relationship. While he acknowledges the longing for partnership, his shows quietly suggest that true connection begins with accepting yourself, imperfections and all. In this way, his art becomes a guiding light for those who feel invisible or left out. Rather than offering easy answers, Budd provides compassionate reassurance, embracing the full range of the human journey—with all its joys, struggles, and inevitable loneliness.

Ultimately, Steve Budd is more than just an entertainer; he’s a thoughtful storyteller of the modern soul. He doesn’t promise simple solutions, but instead offers the comforting knowledge that the human experience, with all its messy glory, is something we share—and navigate—together.

Why It Matters—Especially Now

For Jewish audiences, his work also offers something uniquely resonant: the tension between tradition and modernity, expectation and individuality. It’s not about rejecting the past—it’s about finding your own voice within it.

And for anyone who’s ever sat at a wedding wondering if they’re the only one who feels out of place, Steve Budd has a story for you.

Don’t miss this exciting event! Please register at the event here: https://yiddishlandcalifornia.org/oy-what-they-said-about-love/

Learn More about future events offered by YAAANA at:

https://yiddishlandcalifornia.org/yiddish-culture-events/

References

Steve Budd’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/buddgram/?hl=en

Steve Budd’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/buddsteve/

Broadway World Interview – Steve Budd of SEEING STARS at The Marsh Berkeley: https://www.broadwayworld.com/san-francisco/article/Interview-Steve-Budd-of-SEEING-STARS-at-The-Marsh-Berkeley-20240607