This year’s lineup features three distinct voices—Bastion Carboni, Justin Jain, and Cookie Diorio—tackling everything from the moral decay of influencer culture to queer Filipino-American identity and the communal joy of a glittering spring cabaret.
“They’re funny, fearless, and emotionally honest,” said Deborah Block, Theatre Exile’s Producing Artistic Director. “They reflect the complexity of the world we’re living in and illuminate the importance of being thoughtful about how we choose to walk through our lives.”
A Vacation: Skewering the Spectacle
Written and Performed by Bastion Carboni
What happens when a self-appointed "extreme documentarian" influencer runs out of war zones to visit? He takes his followers to Purgatory.
A Vacation is a razor-sharp dark comedy that skewers the moral cost of chasing clout. Carboni, known for his work with the Poison Apple Initiative and the political cabaret AGITATED!, uses biting satire to explore unchecked entitlement and the dangerous consequences of manifesting a destiny at the expense of others.
Performance Dates:
- March 18, 23, 27 at 7 p.m.
- March 21, 22 at 8 p.m. (March 22 includes a Post-Show Discussion)
- March 28 at 3 p.m.
The Dangers of Tobacco: Chekhov Reimagined
By Anton Chekhov and Justin Jain
Barrymore Award-winner Justin Jain takes a weary Chekhovian one-act and explodes it into a contemporary narrative. What starts as a reluctant lecture on the health risks of smoking quickly unravels into a deeply personal confession.
Jain, a member of the Wilma HotHouse Company, weaves his own experience as a first-generation queer Filipino-American into the text, blurring the lines between character and performer. It is a playful yet piercing look at cultural identity and a life lived in quiet compromise.
Performance Dates:
- March 19 at 7 p.m.
- March 20, 28 at 8 p.m.
- March 21, 29 at 3 p.m.
- March 25 at 12 p.m. (Post-Show Discussion)
Camp Cookie: A Speakeasy Cabaret
With Cookie Diorio
For one night only, Philly GRIT transforms into a cozy, glitter-filled campfire gathering. Classically trained vocalist and activist Cookie Diorio returns with Camp Cookie, a speakeasy cabaret designed to shake off the winter chill.
Blending opera, musical theater, and queer activism, Diorio uses original songs and reimagined classics to explore belonging and survival. Expect live vocals, laughter, drinks, and—true to the name—actual cookies.
Performance Date:
-
March 26 at 7 p.m.
Tickets and Subscriptions
Audiences looking to catch multiple shows can utilize the two-show Flex Pass Subscription, which starts at $30. This pass can be used for Philly GRIT performances or the company’s production of The Great Privation (How to flip ten cents into a dollar).
- Single Tickets: Available now at theatreexile.org
- Box Office: 215-218-4022
- Location: 1340 S. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
