Talking to Jack MacCarthy is a master class in what it takes to evolve as a writer. He has one of the most fascinating back stories you'll probably hear on this pod. Jack started his career in theater, kicking around in New York City, writing and producing original works. Dig into this episode and hear about their evolution from playwright to critically-acclaimed YA novelist and why he has since relocated to Los Angeles where he's mixing up his career and starting they're path to TV and film.
Jack MacCarthy (he/they) is a non-binary writer and creatrix; they write funny, devastating stories about women and/or queer and/or trans people, all of whom are simultaneously sympathetic and destructive. The New York Times called his work "a lot of fun," and Kate Bornstein said it was "f*cking brilliant." Jack's plays have been performed everywhere from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to the New York City subway and beyond. For eight years, Jack ran Caps Lock Theatre, an award-winning, often site-specific, scrappy af theater company in New York. Jack is a critically acclaimed YA novelist with Squad (published by FSG, 2019), which was a Washington Blade Springs Arts 2019 Book List Pick and Barnes & Noble Most Anticipated LGBTQAP YA Book of 2019 ("won me over" -NPR). He is also a proud birth mother; his true story of giving birth to a child he placed for adoption was the subject of an Amazon Original commission, "My Boy, Their Son," which was #1 in Adoption, as well as the award-winning solo show Baby Mama (“★★★★★” -Broadway Baby). They moved to Los Angeles just before the pandemic hit, where he lives with his cat Sophie. They are Communications Manager of The Outwords Archive, an LGBTQ+ storytelling nonprofit, and he performs comedy on the internet with his Ruby sketch team, Sleepless. Join their Patreon or visit jackmaccarthy.com!
Ascending to the next level takes a special kind of commitment to a craft and Jack has never given up on his talent. They know why they need to keep writing and fighting to get to the next stage. Learn about why you should be picky about your feedback, why laziness doesn't really exist, and the importance of listening to your own heart to discover what's next. And stick around to the end for a special musical surprise! We bow to Jack. As always, keep being unusual creatures.
