THAT UNNAMED FEELING (2017)

WORLD PEREMIERE

written and performed by Alysia and Monty Cole
Directed by Monty Cole
July 21, 2017
Chicago Theatre Marathon

Have you heard about ASMR? Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is an experience characterized by a static-like or tingling sensation on the skin that typically begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine. It is a pleasurable feeling that some would call relaxing. The feeling of ASMR is triggered by a number of different stimuli including: whispering, having someone play with your hair, certain sounds like fire crackling or running water, personal attention. 

Monty and Alysia stumble into this corner of the internet when starting a year apart from each other. Between two hours of time zone difference, varying sleeping schedules, a wedding to plan and careers to push forward, the two fall down the ASMR rabbit hole as a means to stay connected. What starts as a simple fascination becomes a dangerous investigation when they discover something sinister in the ASMR community. Interweaving personal fact and conspiracy fiction, That Unnamed Feeling explores how we strive for intimacy with only our screens and distance between us.

Monty says, “This one night only event will always hold a special place in my heart. Almost 4 months after our wedding, Alysia and I got to tell the story of our crazy year by playing multiple characters, using voice modulators and looping pedals, skewing the docudrama genre, having even our closest friends come up to us afterwards asking… ‘was that real?’"