Mercy Killers at Peirce Theater – Pittsburgh, PA

Mercy Killers

Written by Michael Milligan

Performed by Jack DeCesare

July 2nd, 3rd and 5th

Peirce Theater — Pittsburgh Cultural Trust 803 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA

After a six-year hiatus, the award-winning play Mercy Killers returns in a powerful new production starring acclaimed Chicago actor Jack DeCesare.

Winner of the Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Mercy Killers toured nationally for five years, earning praise from The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, The Scotsman, American Theatre Magazine, and more.

The play follows Joe, a blue-collar auto mechanic whose wife loses her health insurance after a cancer diagnosis. As debt mounts and the system closes in around him, Joe wrestles with impossible choices about dignity, survival, and mercy.

Set in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, Mercy Killers now resonates with renewed urgency, revealing the emotional and economic fractures that helped reshape modern American politics.

Critics have called the play:

• “Riveting.” — Chicago Reader
• “Beautiful and heartbreaking.” — American Theatre Magazine
• “The play Obamacare needs.” — The Daily Beast
• “A veritable Grapes of Wrath of the 21st Century.” — The Cracked Shamrock
• “Marvelous. Profound.” — The Scotsman

Presented by Poor Box Theater.

Tickets available through Eventbrite.

Questions?

Text 724-674-4071 or email at MercyKillersPlay@gmail.com

Support the Show — Pay What You Can
This production is Pay What You Can. If you’d like to support the show directly, you can do so here:

Venmo: @Jack-DeCesare

Zelle: 724-674-4071

PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/AN6UTWMPZBYVA

Your support helps keep the show accessible and supports its upcoming presentation at the Stella Adler School in New York.

Parking

Pittsburgh can be busy during holiday weekends and sports events, so we recommend these reliable garages within walking distance of the Peirce Theater:

Theater Square Garage — 655 Penn Ave
Closest and most convenient option for Cultural District events.

Ninth & Penn Garage — 925 Penn Ave
Affordable, large capacity, and easy access from 579.

Smithfield‑Liberty Garage — 1000 Liberty Ave
A dependable backup with plenty of space even during busy weekends.

All three garages are within a 5–12 minute walk of the theater.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Your support helps keep Mercy Killers accessible to the community and supports its upcoming presentation at the Stella Adler School in New York. Sponsors are acknowledged in the program and at the performance.

All Pay‑What‑You‑Can contributions made via Venmo count toward sponsorship tiers.

Supporter — $25+

• Name listed in the program
• Thank‑you mention on social media

Advocate — $50+

• All Supporter benefits
• Priority seating for you and a guest

Producer — $100+

• All Advocate benefits
• Reserved seating for up to 2 guests
• Signed program
• Your name

Executive Producer — $250+

• All Producer benefits
• Reserved seating for up to 4 guests
• Acknowledgment before the performance
• A private post‑show conversation with the artist

Presenting Sponsor — $500+

• All Executive Producer benefits
• Your name or organization listed as a Presenting Sponsor on promotional materials
• Verbal acknowledgment at the top of every performance
• Up to 6 priority seats

Angel Sponsor — $1,000+

• All Presenting Sponsor benefits
• Featured as Angel Sponsor in the program and lobby signage
• Up to 10 priority seats
• Recognition in press releases and media outreach
• Personalized thank‑you video from the artis

Venmo: @Jack-DeCesare

Zelle: 724-674-4071

PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/AN6UTWMPZBYVA