Help Brooke Continue Producing Her Solo Show
Donation protected
Hi! My name is Brooke McCarthy, and I am the writer, producer, and solo performer for my award-winning, original, one-woman cabaret-comedy show, How to be an Ethical Slut. (#HTBAES).
As a solo artist, I need your help in securing funds to continue producing the show. I have previously raised almost $2k with the generous support of your donations on GoFundMe, and I am now seeking additional help as I have several bookings lined up for 2024-2025.
Synopsis: Experience the ride of your life as an unethical slut penetrates lies, STDs, triads, orgies, and love in her musical journey to becoming an Ethical Slut. Don’t miss this original one-woman cabaret-comedy show by and starring Brooke McCarthy.
Updates: In 2022-2024, I have toured my show to 9 cities throughout the US, including NYC, Austin, Charlotte, Orlando, Memphis, Evansville, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Hartford as well as 2 universities Virginia Tech (VA) and Francis Marion (SC). The show is gaining a ton of momentum and continues to receive positive feedback.
Awards: I have won several awards so far, including:
- Sold Out Show, Best Selling Show, and Hangover Show at NYC's Frigid Fest
- Solo Performer of the Year - named by the Young-Howze Theatre Journal out of NJ/NY
- Best of Fest at the Hartford Fringe Festival
- Philly Fringie (Audience Choice Award) at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival
- Spirit of the Fringe at the St. Louis Fringe Festival
Feedback: Check out some of the anonymous audience feedback from Philly:
- "So gutsy, honest, informative, and I loved the original songs! Such an incredible voice!"
- "So inventive. And as a polyamorous person, I greatly appreciated how this show educated. Well done!"
- "Brooke McCarthy was so funny and charming for the quick 60 minutes we were enchanted with Blake! For a one-woman show, it was nothing less than empowering as Brooke sang new lyrics to familiar songs. She reminded us all the best thing humans have is the choice to be open and honest, and how even sluts can be ethical! I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and would love to see it again!"
- "She was so fun and her stage presence is so captivating. It was such a great, full, rich story."
Reviews: Here are quotes from some of my reviewers:
- “McCarthy brings a great voice and an infectious energy to Valentini's story, and her choreography effectively and often humorously punctuates her musical numbers.” -Thinking Theater NYC
- "McCarthy has a dynamite voice and energy that fills the entire room.” -Younge-Howze Theater Journal
- "One-person shows can be tough sells, but McCarthy’s infectious energy is irresistible...What’s perhaps most surprising about this show isn’t that it’s funny or that it’s feminist or that it’s a rollicking good time. It’s that there’s a real message lying at its heart about love in all forms, be it polyamorous or monogamous, romantic or platonic or sexual, for ourselves or for someone(s) else." -Austin Chronicle
Press: I even had an incredible radio interview with WHYY (Philadelphia's NPR station), which you can check out below. Not to mention, several other articles written about my show which you can find on the show's website.
I believe in what I do, and I want to continue spreading the slutty word across the US and eventually to Canada and the UK. That means I really need your support!
More funding? As of now, I have several shows lined up in NC for the end of 2024 and beginning of 2025. It is becoming increasingly unmanageable for me to continue primarily self-funding my projects as my cities, venues, exposure, and marketing demands exponentially grow.
Why do I need the funds?
- To rent the performance venues
- To cover production fees including insurance
- To compensate my production team (director, stage manager, lighting designer, front of house staff)
- To successfully market, promote, and produce the show
- To assist in travel expenses (gas, lodging when I can't couch surf with friends, etc.)
- And more!
Please consider donating to help!
What is my show about and why does it matter, you ask?
The Story: Blake has a problem – she is wrestling with a desire for a loving monogamous relationship…and so much more. Will Blake’s latest and more mature love interest Guy be the answer to her orgiastic fantasies of love and sexual gratification? Or is it impossible to be an Ethical Slut.
This is an original one-woman cabaret comedy show. The show follows the protagonist, Blake Valentini, as she struggles between dating the socially acceptable way -- monogamy -- or daring to open her mind to unusual relationship pleasures and tribulations. This is a bold, sexy, and vulnerable story that touches upon topics that are often unseen onstage like sexual health and nonconventional relationship styles. The story is set up like a musical cabaret interspersed with a stand-up comedy feel.
The Style: This is a theatrical play set as a cabaret show infused with lots of comedy. I incorporate varying musical genres into the show to connect with every audience member. The music ranges from jazz and musical theater to pop. Since it's debut in 2020, I've also added two original songs to the show. The songs include the "Slut Anthem" written with my friend Marcia Ferguson and "Three is Better" written with my friend Sarah Clemency.
The Why: Of all the reasons I chose to write this show, the messages of honesty and acceptance continue to inspire me the most. Not only is non-monogamy not the norm in our society, but it was also something I did not talk about openly in my personal life, nor is it something that often appears on stage in a positive light. I decided to use parts of my own life to craft a story that inspires honesty in our relationships while encouraging us to embrace the unconventional ways people may love each other. After all, love is love.
About the Artists:
Brooke McCarthy (Actor/Playwright) Originally from NJ, she’s new to Charlotte and recently closed SCHOOL OF ROCK (Ms. Gordon, Mrs. Travis) at the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte. She holds her MFA in Acting from the University of Georgia and recently completed her post-MFA teaching acting at Virginia Tech. She’s been touring her original solo show HOW TO BE AN ETHICAL SLUT around the US, and she’s won Solo Performer of the Year, Best Selling Show in NYC’s Frigid Fest, Best of Fest at Hartford Fringe, among others. Brooke’s currently developing her latest show GASLIGHTING: THE MUSICAL!, so stay tuned for local NC performances of both of her one-woman musical comedies. Brooke has performed internationally at the Medieval Theater Conference and regionally with Aurora Theatre, Broadway Theatre of Pitman, and Philly Improv Theatre. Catch her teaching acting classes at Matthews Playhouse and the Comedy Arts Theater of Charlotte. www.brookemccarthy.com
Sarah Elizabeth Yorke (Director) is a director, producer, actor, and educator from Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania. She holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Virginia Tech and a Master in Fine Arts in Directing and a Master of Arts Administration from Ohio University. Over the past decade, Sarah has directed nearly 40 productions, ranging from professional to collegiate to youth theatre, and beyond. Most recently she directed Concord Floral by Jordan Tannahill and H*tler’s Tasters by Michelle Kholos Brooks at Virginia Tech. In 2023, Sarah produced and directed a brand new, one-woman-show entitled The Wake of Ur Problematic Fav Prty Grl by Claire Tumey, that had two New York residencies, and a stint at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Sarah is thrilled to be directing her friend and collaborator, Brooke, on her wonderfully charming, and unforgettable one-woman-show!
John Patrick Bray (Dramaturg) is a new play dramaturg, scholar, anthology editor, playwright, and screenwriter. He has edited The Best American Short Plays 2018-2019 and the forthcoming Stage It, Stream It! Plays for Virtual Theatre (April 2023) for Applause Theatre and Cinema Books. He has an MFA in Playwriting from the Actors Studio Drama School at The New School, a PhD in Theatre from LSU, and he is the Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Theatre and Film Studies at UGA. www.johnpatrickbray.com
Follow the Show's Adventures:
- Show Website: www.howtobeanethicalslut.com
- Instagram: @howtobeanethicalslut or https://www.instagram.com/howtobeanethicalslut
- TikTok: @howtobeanethicalslut or https://www.tiktok.com/@howtobeanethicalslut
- Highlight Reel: Check out the highlight reel
The Show's History & Development
Past shows:
- This show began development in August of 2020 and had its first fully staged debut in November 2020. The debut took place in Athens, GA at Hendershot's Coffee for a successful three-night run for a small invite-only audience while simultaneously being streamed to over 200 people across the US, Europe, and Asia.
- I tweaked the script between 2021-2022 (various cuts and alterations were made as well as the addition of an original song).
- It was selected as 1 of 7 shows to be in SETC’s 2022 Fringe Festival in Memphis, TN. The show had the most attendees out of all other Fringe shows with 100+ audience members.
- It performed on the Outdoor Stage in Orlando's Fringe Festival on May 23rd and was well attended.
- The show has had 4 sold-out shows at Stumptown Station in Matthews, NC (just outside of Charlotte).
- It performed to a sold-out charity event in Evansville, IN on June 18, 2022.
- It won "Spirit of the Fringe" during the St. Louis' 2022 Fringe Festival with 2 packed performances.
- It won a "Philly Fringe" (aka audience choice award during week 3 of the festival) during Philly Fringe and had 6 packed performances.
- It won "Best of Fest" at the Hartford Fringe Festival with a 4 popular shows.
- It performed for 3 packed houses with roaring reviews during Frontera Fest in Austin, TX during winter 2023.
- It won Sold Out Show, Best Selling Show, and an extra Hangover Performance during NYC's FRIGID Fest in February-March of 2023.
- Performed in Philly for a comedy festival in summer of 2023.
- Performed to a packed house at Francis Marion University in SC in January 2024.
- Performed to a sold out house bursting at the seems at Virginia Tech in Spring 2024.
- Performed two nights in Charlotte, CA at the Comedy Arts Theatre of Charlotte to fantastic audiences in May 2024.
- And more to come! Stay tuned!
Upcoming Shows:
- Returning to Stumptown Station in Matthews, NC on Dec. 10, 2024
- Heading to The Rooster in Gastonia, NC with an opening act featuring the crooner Trace Casanova on February 21, 2025.
- Debuting at Charlotte's Off-Broadway in May 2025 (Exact dates TBD).
Thank you so much for taking the time to read over this fundraiser. Being an artist has been such an important part of my life, so any donation of any amount will mean so much to me. Thank you for your support. Stay slutty! <3
With love,
Brooke
Organizer
Brooke McCarthy
Organizer
Matthews, NC