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This May, Theatre Exile (1340 S. 13th Street Philadelphia, PA 19147) spotlights dynamic women writers and their comedically incendiary styles for three hilarious and interactive shows this spring. Philly Grit: A Pirate, A School Girl, & A Good Person, three electrifyingly funny and irreverent solo shows shining an embarrassingly glaring light on our world, incinerate the Exile stage from May 8 to19. The limited-run three-show series features stories to sharpen the wit of live theatre as told by their creators. The productions highlight the masterful works of four playwrights: Jenna Kuerzi, Val Dunn, Kelly McCaughan, and Brett Ashley Robinson. Audiences are invited to take in each show with a per-show ticket price of $30. Patrons can see all three shows for the price of two with Exile’s Three Show Bundle for an intimate and energetic experience.
“We at Theatre Exile thrive by uplifting daring and creative voices that highlight timely conversations in our community. We’re so excited to give space to these three strong women, who break the fourth wall and pull us head first into their worlds,” said Theatre Exile Producing Artistic Director Deborah Block. “We hope these three shows will launch a continuing series of homegrown and dynamic plays that shine a light on Philly Grit!”
The series premieres with Jenna Kuerzi and Val Dunn’s Johnny Depp: A Retrospective on Late-Stage Capitalism performed by writer and actor Jenna Kuerzi, starring as “Johnny Depp”, preteen heart-throb turned wino forever. Kuerzi and Dunn first conceptualized the show in 2019 after discovering they’d both previously dressed up as Depp’s vivid character, Captain Jack Sparrow. The production presents their colorful retrospective on every film in Depp’s entire career, from the most popular to the critically panned, asking the ever-begged question… what happened? A satirical PowerPoint “extravaganza” that is part ritual and part drunken singalong, Johnny Depp! features objects thrown at random intervals, “fabulous” prizes, and the celebrity circus continually captivating audiences.
Johnny Depp became an international ‘Fringe favorite’ in 2019 and took an even deeper turn for audiences through its pandemic pause. As Kuerzi began watching all of Johnny Depp’s movies during the hiatus, she saw the avenue for a podcast, inviting a host of guests to discuss all 102 of Johnny Depp’s film, television, and music video appearances. Material from the podcast and several rewrites following Depp’s sensational court case were combined to present the microcosm of celebrity, and the effects of our constant consumption told through one star’s filmography. Johnny Depp: A Retrospective on Late Stage Capitalism runs on May 8 at 7 p.m., May 11 at 2 p.m., May 13 at 7 p.m., May 18 at 8 p.m., and May 19 at 3 p.m.
Catholic Guilt, the second of the series, written and performed by Kelly McCaughan, originated as part of Philadelphia SoLowFest in 2017. With multiple sold-out shows along the Northeast Corridor, the critically acclaimed production of the Philly Grit series delves deep into the perverse ‘holy war’ waged inside the heart and mind of one devout Catholic schoolgirl told through a comedically cheeky theatrical performance. The play explores the often-subversive Pandora’s box of imagination and fantasy tantamount to the impossible standards of the Catholic Church for anyone feeling the guilt that can surround religion.
The show’s multi-hyphenate creator/performer is a stage and screen artist who made her television debut on HBO’s Crashing. Following a celebrated career in sketch comedy, McCaughan wrote and performed her masterwork Catholic Guilt to sold-out audiences across the United Kingdom in 2023. Nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Alt Comedy Awards, the show blends audience participation with cringe-worthy personal recollections and stand-up performance. Theatre Exile audiences are in for a slippery, sinful descent when McCaughan exposes it all onstage on May 9 at 7 p.m., May 11 at 8 p.m., May 12 at 3 p.m., May 16 at 7 p.m., and May 18 at 2 p.m.
The third show of the series, Good Person, stars Barrymore Award-winning Philadelphia-based playwright/actress/director Brett Ashley Robinson. Robinson peels away the character of the ‘do-gooder savior’ in her original role as Patricia!, an unhinged satirical parody of a wealthy white woman in the world of social justice, social media, callout culture, and snowflakes. Everyone is looking, and everyone is good in Robinson’s solo provocative depiction of white feminist Americana in the most absurd comedic representation. The interactive production invites audiences to a surreal experience incorporating true stories with exaggerated melancholia through laugh-out-loud physical performance.
As Patricia!, Robinson has worked with 1812 Productions, The Bearded Ladies Cabaret, Lightning Rod Special, and Agitated! and is a two-time nominee for the Golden Tassel Jawn, Philadelphia’s Drag and Burlesque awards, for best comedy act for the role. With nonstop audience solicitation and everlasting grit, Good Person premiers on the Exile stage on May 10 at 8 p.m., May 11 at 5 p.m., Ma 15 at 7 p.m., May 17 at 8 p.m., and May 18 at 5 p.m.
Philly Grit begins on May 8, with tickets starting at $30 and may be purchased HERE. A full schedule of showtimes and dates can be found on the website.
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