The Celebrants

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussions of drug overdose, suicide, terminal illness, and nonconsensual sex.

Jordan, his husband Jordy, Marielle, Naomi, and Craig meet to spend a long weekend together in the Big Sur cabin owned by Naomi’s late parents. Having met at Berkeley 28 years earlier, the group created a pact to hold living funerals for each other when their friend, Alec, died of a drug overdose during college. They have since convened to hold funerals for “Marielle in the wake of her divorce […] Naomi after her parents’ private plane went down [… and] Craig when he pleaded guilty to art fraud” (14) to ensure that they would “leave nothing left unsaid” (13). The friends banter as they settle into the house and attempt to order takeout for dinner. Marielle has brought eyeless kittens that she is taking care of with her. The group catches up on events including Naomi’s engagement and asking Jordan why he has assembled them this time. While he does not yet reveal the news to his friends, Jordan meditates on the fact that this funeral is different because he is actually dying of cancer.