Aarushi Agni's solo show, EMOJI: The Hieroglyphs of Our Time, or how I learned to stop worrying and send the risky text ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

is part love letter, part-stand-up set, part concert, and part iPhone commercial (jk). Aarushi Agni blends music, comedy, and a multimedia slideshow to explore whether emoji are the universal language of our time — or a crutch in a fractured society that has us clinging to digital crumbs of human connection. It will have you like,  

 but also like, !

The story of the show

Following a near-death-experience while surfing in September 2023, Aarushi had a sexy lil existential crisis.

Aarushi did what she always does in times of trouble. She deflected with comedy (!) and funny little obsessions — including a slideshow presentation about emoji she put together for Virginia Dickens’ Hyperfocus show.

Couldn’t we just not?
As much as Aarushi tried to hide in her “art criticism” and high falutin’ ideas about “the digital landscape,” she kept washing back up on her own shore — what the FUCK was it all for? In the weeks and months that passed, global events caused the world around her to deepen its relationship with crisis, death — and in turn, life.

And there were those emoji.

Taunting her.

Comforting her.  

The show was more than an exploration of these goofy little chat minions. It was a treatise on friendship, intimacy, and human connection. It was about risk and loss and need. All those things you feel like you have to lie about when you’re in a job interview or a first date. Gross. Did everything we do have to be so embarrassing? Couldn’t we just not? 

Unfortunately we couldn’t not — we had to. The erotic wave of creative potential was already washing over her. 

“I’m getting too old for this.” 

Aarushi couldn’t help it. Her stupid brain wouldn’t stop obsessing. She could draw a straight line from emoji to community to courage to the crazy $h1T going on in the world. She felt called to expand the message, so she developed the show further with her friend and co-conspirator/ director BT Hayes. They premiered the new version of the show to a sold-out crowd at Projectorfest in May 2024.

Despite being lit AF, Aarushi could feel that Projectorfest was only the beginning. Aarushi knew that if she wanted to get the show to the next level — she was gonna need a whole team. Also, she was gonna have to to write some tunes.

The show is about community, technology, and most of all — love. ❤️ And not the love of one person (although...☺️) — but the love of many people (lol)— the love of community— the love of ideas that will save us — the liberatory bonds of community  that will save us in even the darkest of times. 

Cue the montage: Aarushi on the phone for, like, weeks, asking everyone, “Do you know someone who would maybe might be into this weird little thing I’m making?" 
 

The ✨community✨ provides..

Now, under the directorial genius of Dominique Nisperos (Upright Citizens Brigade) and supported by the combined comedic and producing talents of Annie Moretto (LaughMasters), Jess Ducey (Down to Clown), and Sam Lochs (Get A Real Job), EMOJI is off to the New York City Fringe Festival, presented by FRIGID New York. 

This couldn’t and will never come together without community...So, my dear friend/ respected elder/ fellow hottie / brilliant artist / country person…how can you help us? 

Be a part of the magic ❤️

Making theater isn’t cheap — especially at the level we want to make it! First of all there’s a festival fee that is a honkin’ $1300 that came directly out  of Aarushi’s food and living fund. Then there’s marketing, tech, composing music, rehearsal space — and most of all, paying artists, so they can continue living, eating, and paying tribute to the rat overlords of our fair city. 

Our campaign target is $2,000, which, combined with a couple of fundraiser shows and a successful box office haul, means we can pay our producing team stipends of $250 each, which is about $5 an hour. Needless to say, this goal is a starting point, not a finish line. 

So if you’re wondering if your contribution makes a difference - yes, babe, it does!

Like everything worth doing, art also takes a village. (Also the show will be happening in East Village. At Under Saint Marks Theatre. Please come.)

Not to get all sappy about it, but art is low-key anti-fascist — supporting this show means aiding the power of creativity and resistance. Your donation ensures everyone involved can keep doing what they love, all while staying safe from the rats. ART NOT RATS.

Perks!

But supporting this project gets you more than the joy of supporting artists! There are perks, too! Like your logo on the slides  — or a declaration of love for your crush (we don’t care!), a full VIP experience at the show, the chance to honor slash mock Aarushi by selecting the entrance music, or even a karaoke party with the team!

You could even pick an emoji for us to get tattooed on our actual human flesh. That’s right — in a world where everything is temporary — you can brand us, FOREVER. 

Most of all you’ll be recognized as one of the coolest, best, most on-the-pulse cultural minds in the new world. What a bargain!