R.U.R. — The initials stand for Rossum’s Universal Robots. Karel Capek’s 1920 play introduced the word “robot” to the world, based on the Czech word for laborer (a fun fact you can use to annoy your friends over dinner).
Forget clunky metal boxes, these robots are genetically engineered humans with the troublesome parts, like needs and desires, omitted. The men of R.U.R. live alongside their constructs on a remote island, closely guarding their secret formula while supplying the world with all the cheap labor it can stand. It runs like clockwork until a beautiful young robot rights activist arrives via her father’s private boat.
Shade Murray, director of Strawdog’s Jeff Award-winning “Detective Story” and “Marathon ’33” once again breathes new life into a forgotten gem, a funny and fast-paced character piece that happens to blow the lid off a whole mess of deep metaphysical questions. What is life? What is love? You won’t find out in the e-mail.
Featuring the acting talents of Strawdog Ensemble members Carmine Grisolia, Anderson Lawfer, Michaela Petro and John Henry Roberts, as well as Ryan Bollettino, Brennan Buhl, Zachary Clark, Andrew Gebhart, Joe Goldammer, Sara Gorsky, Jocelyn Kelvin, Nick Lake, Henry Riggs, Noah Simon and Rebekah Ward-Hays.
The show’s sound design will be performed live throughout the run, devised and performed by Mikhail Fiksel and Miles Polaski, whose contributions to the sound design of Strawdog’s “A Lie of the Mind” (also performed live) won last year’s Jeff Award for original score.
With sets by Dan Stratton, costumes by Strawdog’s own Aly Renee Greaves, lighting by Sam Szigeti, fight choreography from Matt Hawkins, dramaturgy by Amber Bel’cher, and Strawdog’s resident stage manager Erin Carlson running the show each night.
R.U.R. a stage production by Karel Capek and directed by Shade Murray begins at Chicago’s Strawdog Theatre September 20 – October 25, 2008. Buy tickets Fridays & Saturdays 8pm • Sundays 7pm.
Tickets are $20 per seat. There will be an Opening Night Gala Benefit on Saturday, September 20 at 7pm. Tickets for this special event are $40 and that includes entrance to the post-show party with wine, snacks and fun conversation.
Previews for R.U.R on September 18 & 19, $10
Industry Night Monday September 29, $10
Wow…this looks like its going to be awesome!