Edit Annie at The VORTEX

The VORTEX launches its 35th Season with the world premiere of Edit Annie by Mary Glen Fredrick, directed by Will Detlefsen, an NNPN directing fellow for 3 weeks only at The VORTEX. Starring Alaithia Velez as Annie. Jacqui Calloway as Clara. Erin McNellis as Dana. Dane Parker as Jackson.Agoraphobic video editor Annie finally meets Clara, the #influencer shes been editing remotely for years. As their relationship blossoms, Clara seems to be the salvation Annie's been waiting forbut her best friend Dana isn't so sure. Live-Streamed Thursday, September 15 8pmASL-Interpreted Saturday, September 17 8pmWednesday, September 21 8pm Industry NightThis dark comedic thriller descends deep into Annies mind and interrogates the loneliness of living with screens, the implications of being able to edit every aspect of yourself, and whats real in a digital age. Our increasingly-digital landscape invites us to do this revising: to erase imperfections, delete all but the highlight reel, and be lulled into the picture-perfect version of the story. But what wounds does this erasure carve onto our psyches? For all of its theatrical elements, Edit Annie is a story about loneliness and longing to connect. Edit Annie defies genre; it is a dark comedic queer rom-com psychological social media thriller. On the surface, Edit Annie is about video editing, social media, and the relationship between a video editor and the #influencer she co-creates. At its core, Edit Annie is about our mindstheir endless power to create, warp, and destroy, all in the name of protection. By incorporating video, live feed, movement choreography, and claymation, Edit Annie reflects us: living straddled between digital and 3D worlds and altering reality with the press of a button. Edit Annie asks us to question which version of us is true? Which version is real, and how can we be sure? What does it mean to be authentic, when everything we do is edited for public consumption?