#UglyCry: grief hits different now

#UglyCry – grief hits different now

Playing at Carnegie Stage Select Nights September 22 – October 14

An interactive night of theater, technology, and resurrection of the dead

Created and performed by Katie Mack

Directed by Susanne McDonald

Co-creator – Technical Director: Janus Young

​

After the death of her ex-boyfriend, this grieving, social media-obsessed
millennial brings him back to life with her phone. Based on a true story.

Did y’all hear? Eric Anthamatten might be dead, but we are bringing him back. Yes, YOU! Duh, Katie Mack can’t resurrect someone on her own, so she needs you and a LOT of cell phone service. I mean what else do you do with one thousand hours of digital content?
It is 2023, and technology is changing the way we honor, celebrate, grieve, and interact literally with the dead.
So show up, keep those phones out and on because
this grieving girl is bringing Eric back to life!

This show works best –
if you use your phone.
if you know someone who has died.
if you’re a pretty crier.
if you’re a not-so-pretty crier.
if you play along.
if you snap the QR codes.
if you turn your sound off on your phone.
if you repost about it.
if you just assume that you are supposed to be here and not anywhere else.

Please note: Unlike traditional theater going experiences,
this show is INTERACTIVE and IMMERSIVE.
What that means at #UglyCry is that we cannot tell the story without you!
We can promise there will be nothing done to embarrass you, but we might ask you to be brave and interact with the set, the performer, and each other.
All you need is your smartphone, yourself, and a sprinkle of grief.

Katie MACK is a proud queer, sober, multi-award winning writer/actor who has been writing and exploring the much rebelled against question of bringing audience phones into the theater space since 2017. She is best known for creating & producing the podcast f*cking sober: the first 90 days, which won the 2021 Webby Award for Best Writing for a Limited Series and a 2022 Communicator Award.

She owes her love of all things performance art and politics to

falling through a table and then falling in love with Eric over twelve years ago.

Her love language is social media engagement so please check out her TikTok and Instagram.

SUSANNE McDONALD is a director, devising theatre artist, and actor living in New York City. She is thrilled to be leading #UglyCry from Pittsburgh to New York City. Susanne loves to push the boundaries of what theatre can be, which is what drew her to Katie Mack’s #UglyCry. She is also no stranger to profound, Earth shattering grief either (yes that drew her in too). Susanne was able to direct her first multi-media project with #PUSHpregnancy in 2021, a project specifically created to help teach doctors and nurses how to support mothers pregnant with their miracle babies. She is currently co-producing Hero with 366 Films, a short film about mental health and sobriety in the acting community. Keep an eye out on her social media for her short film she is producing, writing, and starring in Trivial Pursuits, also about the impact of significant grief. Other directing and producing credits include: Don’t Go Off, A Space Between A Part featured at the 2021 foolsFURY Build From Here Virtual Theatre Festival & Gathering. Her most recent theatre assistant directing credits include: Satchmo at the Waldorf, No Child with Pure Theatre, #DogMom, and Anne Being Frank. Other film assistant directing credits include: No One Likes a Mad Woman with Maid & Prince Productions as well as production coordinating with The Crop Shoppe and Moth & Flame.  @susannemcd11 www.susannemcdonald.com

Janus Young (They/Them) brings 12 years of experience working as a freelance designer, artist, and production manager. Janus recently accepted the role of Creative Programs Manager at the New Hazlett. Janus will work with CSA Artists, Artists-in-Residence, and designers for the Theater’s original in-house programming.