The Theater Lab adapts sci-fi tale for virtual shows

The Theater Lab, a District 214 Community Education program, will hold virtual performances of its adaptation of E.M. Forster's "The Machine Stops." Shows will be Friday and Saturday, May 14-15 via Zoom.

For tickets, visit www.ce.d214.org/theater-lab. Tickets are free, but there is a suggested donation of $5.

An author who earned a prestigious reputation, Forster was nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature 16 times and is known for such works as "Howard's End," "A Room With A View," and "A Passage to India." His only foray into science fiction, "The Machine Stops," is a prescient glimpse of our modern world through the eyes of an Edwardian Englishman.

"Although published in 1909, 'The Machine Stops' is the most timely work you will encounter in the age of Zoom, which, incidentally, is the perfect format to experience it," said The Theater Lab's director, John Meyers.

"The Theater Lab's ensemble will bring this story to life with original artwork and vibrant performances in a medium that was science fiction not that long ago.

"As our name implies, The Theater Lab both leads and encourages experimentation in our productions," said Meyers. "Theater audiences know no two live performances of any production are ever the same, whether in person or virtual. We take that a step further by putting our creative spin on each production.

"We want our actors and audiences to not only enjoy the classics we all know and love, but also be surprised and amazed by what they discover through our process and performances."

The Theater Lab's adaptation of "The Machine Stops" will apply its "experimentation" approach by leveraging many features and functionalities of the Zoom platform, referring to the platform as "The Machine" and embracing technical glitches along the way as The Machine itself starts to exhibit breakdowns.

The cast features Deb Leuthy (Vashti), Sarah Heyman (Kuno), Karen Campion (Zamani), Anne Tracy (Sascha), Robert Seelig (Quimby), Nancy Morrison (Chi Chi), Megan Field (Zuzu), Patricia Tinsley (Albedo), and Dylan Campion (The Machine and Attendant).

Joining Meyers on the creative team are Patrick Zielinski (producer), Chris Good (production and stage manager), Anne Tracy (dramaturge), Tom Mamola (technical designer), Nancy Morrison (properties manager), and Teresa Arnold (marketing director).

To learn more about The Theater Lab and go behind the scenes of its production of "The Machine Stops," follow District 214 Community Education's The Theater Lab on Facebook.

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