Event Day: Sunday 11:00 AM
Applications Due: June 15th, 2026

Please Note: This is a 21+ event. The themes, advice, and coping mechanisms discussed on stage will be strictly mature, highly unhinged, and incredibly funny. ID required at the door.

Are you ready for some deeply unqualified fictional therapy?

There are so many characters out there who desperately need to speak with a professional. After all, there's no shame in getting help.

Well... we couldn’t get a professional. But wouldn’t it be way more fun to watch them unpack all that in front of a live studio audience anyway? Of course it would!

Welcome to So... Let’s Unpack That!, a hilarious, 21+ cosplay event where the multiverse’s most chaotic villains, exhausted anti-heroes, and petty rivals finally take the couch. Watch them attempt to talk out their struggles, defend their terrible life choices, and receive the absolute worst advice on how to improve!

Expect total meltdown energy as we invite a roster of deeply flawed favorites to the stage, including:

• The Self-Denying Problem Causer: "I didn't start the apocalypse, I just didn't stop it."
• The Exhausted Enabler: The one who clean up the messes, sighs heavily, and desperately needs a vacation.
• The Dramatic Chaos-Monster: They don't have a motive; they just live for the plot.

How It Breaks Down:

We aren't just letting these characters vent; we're putting them through a rigorous three-part psychological evaluation (and by "psychological," we mean "highly entertaining"). For every character interviewed, we’ll break it down into three distinct sections:

1. The Intake (The Airing of Grievances): The character lays out their drama, their grudges, and exactly why they think they are 100% in the right.
2. The Hot Seat (The Cross-Examination): This is where we ask the tough questions, and stir the pot. We'll dive deep into the important questions including: what the hell made you think that was a good idea? And, "If your sidekick were here, would they be in agreement or avoiding you like the plague?"
3. The Prescription (The Terrible Advice): Our host dispenses a custom-tailored, spectacularly awful solution to our "patient's" problems. But we aren't infallible: if the pros can't solve the problem, the audience will get the chance to share their wisdom!

Cosplay is highly encouraged, but civilians are welcome too! Come ready to laugh, gasp, and judge!

Rules & Guidelines:

• Applicants may apply as a solo or as a group.
• All applicants must be at least 21 years old by the day of the competition.
• Participants will be assigned a specific kind of scenario. Examples of scenarios include but are not limited to:
  
• The parents who had an affair but love each other and desperately want to be the parents.
• The cheating scenario where the other party doesn’t want to be the parent (I.E. because the baby doesn’t look like them).
• A single mother who is desperately searching for the possible father of her child over several candidates.
  
• Participants can mark as part of the application which scenarios they would like to participate in and which they would be opposed to participating in.
• Participants will be told which scenario they will be a part of before the con.
• You must enter and exit the stage using the areas designated as directed.
• Characters can be from any type of media. Original characters are not allowed.
• You may bring props, but they must follow the ConnectiCon prop guidelines: https://connecticon.org/convention-rules no large set pieces.
• A photo of the cosplay you intend to wear (or a WIP) is required to be submitted as part of the application.
• The bikini rule applies to all participants: Genitals and nipples must remain covered at all times, and any thong underwear must have a minimum ½” band of fabric at the back (no g-strings). Mesh, fishnet, lace, and other undergarments with a see-through quality must be backed by another fabric so the shape or coloration of the nipples and genitals is not identifiable through the fabric.
• No fluids, confetti, glitter, or any substance can be released on stage that cannot be immediately removed.
• Participants must stay on stage during their set and cannot touch members of the audience
• Images of pornography or sexual acts (including illustrations) and realistic representation of genitalia (such as using a skin-tone dildo as a prop) are prohibited.
• Please arrive at the requested set-up time to receive event-specific rules and instructions. Please follow directions given by the staff during this time, as well as during the event. If you do not follow the rules set up by the Event Coordinator and event staff, you will be disqualified from the competition and may be unable to participate in future events.
• Once participants arrive at the convention, all applicants must check in at Cosplay HQ to be able to participate/perform. Anyone who is unable to check in before the event must contact the Event Coordinator as soon as possible.

All times are subject to change as we finalize the schedule. Communications will go out once the schedule is finalized if times changed.

ConnectiCon and Event Staff reserve the right to inspect your cosplay, forbid you from participating, forbid you from removing clothing or using a specific prop, and have the authority to remove you from stage immediately if your clothing choices or behavior do not adhere to city and state ordinances as well as the convention rules.

COSPLAY IS NOT CONSENT. Do not put your hands on anyone without asking for permission first.

This includes any unwanted physical exposure, body fluid exposure, harassment, or physical contact including kissing, hugging, touching, slapping, pinching, or anything that makes someone uncomfortable.
REMINDER: Physical contact includes unwanted non-sexual contact.

Failure to follow rules will result in immediate dismissal from the game as well as potential banning from the convention.
For any further questions or concerns, you may contact the Event Coordinator - programming@Connecticon.org