Sure you use it everyday--maybe all day--but after January 21, you may never look at that iPhone or MacBook the same way again.

 

From searching feverishly for golden tickets to skipping down the yellow brick road, fantastical tales of the "man behind the myth" continue to captivate audiences in books, films and fairytales. In addition to almost superhero-like powers, themes of  pride, beauty and lust lurk amidst the aura of any complex creative genius. Now, a new blockbuster show created and performed by master storyteller Mike Daisey promises to take theater-goers behind the cyber curtain and straight into the psyche of one-of-a-kind American tech icon, Steve Jobs.

 

In town for a rare one-night-only performance, The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs weaves the complex story of a 21st-century Willy Wonka or Oz figure. Co-presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and The Andy Warhol Museum's Off the Wall performance series, the award-winning show runs January 21 at 8 p.m., at Downtown's Byham Theater.?
 

Widely considered the pioneer of the personal computer revolution, Jobs attained an almost mythical status in the contemporary zeitgeist--having a direct hand in the innovative products that grace billions of desks, homes, hands, and pockets across the globe--as the legendary co-founder, chairman and CEO of Apple.

 

Directed by Jean-Michele Gregory, The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs dives fearlessly and unapologetically into the complex life and career of Jobs. And award-winning monologue maestro Mike Daisey leaves no stone unturned. Any story of Jobs, who passed away on Oct. 5 at age 56 from pancreatic cancer, cannot be told without a frank look at the mogul's business practices, not just on home turf in the board rooms of Silicon Valley, but in the massive factories of China. The gripping production chronicles Daisey's own journey to China, where he investigated factories employed by the millions of workers who actually make Apple's endless stream of products.

Equal parts "patriotic criticism and moral compass," Daisey uses the minimalist medium of monologue-based theater to examine the questionable labor practices of one of the world’s most revered companies, unpack consumers' emotionally charged connection to high-tech devices and address the implications of living in a hyper-digital age. Ultimately, Daisey turns his edgy humor and pointed insights on consumers, exposing the human price we all pay for our beloved high-tech toys.

 

A self-proclaimed “Apple fanboy," Deasy is known for staging groundbreaking monologues that blend elements of autobiography, gonzo journalism and unscripted performance. Called “one of the finest solo performers of his generation," Daisey has performed around the world, from Off-Broadway to the Sydney Opera House and even in abandoned theaters in post-Communist Tajikistan. He’s appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, and has contributed to the New York Times, WIRED, NPR and the BBC.

 

But don't take our word for it, ask Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak, who when asked about his response to the production, told the New York Times: “I will never be the same after seeing that show."

Grab your tickets now, because Daisey’s performance at the Byham will be the only chance to see this groundbreaking monologue outside of NYC.

Purchase tickets now.

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