Exclusive Launch Event and Listening Party Set For Feb. 4 at The Bell House in Brooklyn

• Topic Studios has partnered with iHeartPodcasts on “Cancellation Island,” the latest fiction podcast series from John Cameron Mitchell and Michael Cavadias.
• The first episode will debut on Sunday, Feb. 9 with new episodes available weekly on the iHeartRadio app and all major audio platforms.
• “Cancellation Island,” which was recorded in front of a live audience, will debut at an exclusive listening party at The Bell House in Brooklyn, New York on Tuesday, February 4 at 7:30pm. Tickets are currently available HERE.
• Series description: Where do the cancelled people go? Why, Cancellation Island, of course, the hottest celebrity rehab this side of the Bermuda Triangle! Are you social media’s latest villain? Don’t worry! Led by our own resident Karen and her staff of Gen-Z therapists whose motto is: “What we lack in life experience, we make for in certainty”, Cancellation Island will put you through your paces as you crawl back to society’s good graces. When a notes app apology isn’t enough, book a one-way flight to Cancellation Island!
   
• The official trailer for the new series can be found HERE.
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• John Cameron Mitchell said: “Cancellation Island is a zany 30 Rock-like leftie satire about cancel culture. As one of our curators (therapists) tells us, “When all news is fake, then all stories are true,” including our very own conspiracy theory, K-Anon, which concerns the secret lizard people among us. Are they responsible for the mysterious disappearances of the cancelled? Are they being picked off? Michael Cavadias and I had a blast creating this with Christy Gressman and Topic Studios and recording it all in front of a live studio audience - we can’t wait for you to listen.”
• Christy Gressman, Vice President of Podcasts at Topic Studios said: “Bringing John’s wild and wonderful ideas to life is always a joy, and we are incredibly proud of this smart, timely, hilarious project that pushes the bounds of scripted podcasting. We’re so excited to release it into the world and for audiences to come along for the ride.”
• “Cancellation Island” stars Holly Hunter as KAREN, is written by John Cameron Mitchell and Michael Cavadias, directed by John Cameron Mitchell, and produced by Christy Gressman. A Topic Studios and iHeartPodcasts production.
• The series also stars Josh Pais as KARL, Erin Markey as KAI, K. Todd Freeman as KLAUDE, Murphy Taylor Smith as KALINA, Justice Singleton as KIRK, Mary Testa as KRIS, Jo Firestone as KALLIE, Mia Pak as KYOKO, Joseph Keckler as KALE, Maria Mercedes Galuppo as KARMEN, Micah Stock as KASPAR, Idalmis Garcia as KIKI, Michael Cavadias as JONAS and JOSH, Nate Davila as PEPO, Veronica Guadalupe as PEPA.
• John Cameron Mitchell is a boundary pushing writer, director, and actor who first worked with Topic Studios on the revolutionary musical dark-comedy podcast “Anthem: Homunculus,” which was co-created by Bryan Weller and stars Glenn Close, Cynthia Erivo, Patti Lupone, Marion Cotillard, and Laurie Anderson. He’s known for writing and starring in the Broadway musical “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” which he also adapted for the big screen. Film credits that he wrote and directed include “Shortbus,” “Rabbit Hole,” and “How to Talk to Girls at Parties.” As an actor his television roles have included “Girls,” “Shrill”, “The Good Fight,” “The Sandman,” “City on Fire,” and Joe Exotic in “Joe Vs Carole.”
• Michael Cavadias is an actor/writer and performer. His film and television credits include “Wonder Boys,” “All We Had,” “I Remember Nothing,” “Girls,” and “Difficult People.” In theatre, his credits include Anohni’s “She Who Saw Beautiful Things” at The Kitchen and “Star Odyssey - The Pilot” at MoMA PS1. Michael’s character Claywoman was originally created at Blackips Performance Cult in the 90s and developed at Mabou Mines. “The Mystery of Claywoman” (directed by Rob Roth) was presented at The New Museum, The Wild Project, Town Hall, Abrons Art Center, and the Howl Festival. “Conversations with Claywoman” was featured at The Meltdown Festival in London and continues regularly at Pangea in New York City.
   
• “Cancellation Island” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts.
   
• Key art can be found HERE

ABOUT TOPIC STUDIOS

Topic Studios is an award-winning entertainment studio that develops, finances, and produces critically acclaimed films, television series, and podcasts for demanding audiences. A trusted partner in the industry and home for creators to do their most ambitious work, Topic Studios delivers quality, compelling storytelling with an uncompromising commitment to creativity.

The studio has produced pioneering podcasts including The Space Within (Audible), a thrilling sci-fi mystery starring Jessica Chastain, Michael Shannon, Bobby Cannavale, Ellen Burstyn, Michael Stuhlbarg, Shea Whigham, and Carmen Ejogo, which debuted at #1 on Audible’s charts and is an Audible Best of 2023; the Webby-award nominated Not Lost (Pushkin Industries, iHeartRadio), from former Dinner Party Download host Brendan Francis Newnam, which was included as one of The New York Times and Vulture’s Best Podcasts of 2022; and the cultural phenomenon Missing Richard Simmons (Stitcher/Pineapple Street Media), which investigates the fitness guru’s mysterious disappearance from the public eye. Additionally, the studio is behind the upcoming Crooks Everywhere (iHeartMedia) about the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, starring Sienna Miller.

Current and upcoming film projects include Searchlight Pictures’ A Real Pain from Jesse Eisenberg, starring Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin, A24’s David Lowery-directed Mother Mary, starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, Wicker starring Olivia Colman, directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Willson, and Michael Covino’s Splitsville, starring Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona.

Topic Studios also boasts a thriving television division with projects including the Emmy Award-winning big wave surfing series 100 Foot Wave (HBO), the documentary series Nuclear Family (HBO); and documentary series Love Fraud (Showtime).

The studio has produced over 35 film and television projects earning 8 Academy Award® nominations (2 wins), 10 Golden Globe nominations (1 win), and 9 Emmy nominations (2 wins).