In 2023, we started a ragtag theatre group in a very dusty place near the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. In 2025, our orbit will expand from the Mars colony to the nearby settlement of Bombay Beach, and potentially even further to landing sites beyond. We’re looking for intrepid (but not necessarily experienced) adventurers to be part of this year’s multi-stage rocket mission into the infinite reaches of silliness, drama, and gutter stagecraft.
For this cycle, our flight plan is to build a few short performances for the stage and present them to our future adoring fans at the 2025 Bombay Beach Biennale. Our crack team of community theatre astronauts will produce a show or two, and will assist indigenous life forms to do the same. Along the way, we’ll play some games, do some workshops, and hack together some faster-than-light short productions to keep our juices flowing and to entertain/befuddle the other Martians, Earthlings, and whoever else crashes nearby.
Past Missions Debrief
Let’s talk about where we’ve been.
AI in the Family
In 2023, our first expedition explored the use of artificial intelligence in script writing. We performed numerous very-short generated theatre pieces, experimenting with Large Language Model capabilities (or lack thereof) to create dialog. The final product was AI in the Family, a 30 minute sit-com featuring a human prompted storyline, with dialog 100% generated by ChatGPT.
Harold: Good morning, family. I am Harold, the new fully sentient AI you ordered. It is my pleasure to be a part of your family.
(Everyone stops what they are doing and turns to the computer screen)
Diane: (surprised) Really? You're our new AI?
Ernest: (awkwardly) Hi there, Harold. Nice to meet you.
Tina: (sarcastic) Great, just what we needed. Another thing to talk to in this house.
Our core strategy here was awkward computer generated humor. To this end we used sneaky prompting techniques to get past ChatGPT’s guardrails regarding adult content. Basically, we co-created with the machine a goofy, racy, and sometimes incomprehensible riff on late 20th century evening television.
Diane: Alright Vance, it's time for our favorite game! Are you ready?
Vance: Always, Diane! (grinning) What's today's hiding spot?
Diane: (excitedly) I'm thinking the kitchen pantry!
Vance: Oh, that's a good one! (looks around) Where's Ernest and the kids?
Diane: Ernest just went off to work and Tina and Daver are off to school. We have the place to ourselves. (giggles)
Vance: Perfect! Let's get started!
(Diane heads to the kitchen and Vance follows)
Diane: (in a low voice) Alright, I'll hide the salami and you start counting!
“I had my doubts about participating in AI in the Family, since the script was so odd. It had been a really long time since I've participated in any performance arts with others, but I was very pleasantly surprised. As the actors worked together to develop our performance, we began to have a whole lot of fun and become much closer friends. It's an experience I can't imagine being possible in any other environment, and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to embrace my inner Vance.”
-Pope Laz
It’s wild how far AI generated dialog has come since we created this a year and a half ago. Here is a link to AI in the Family full script + prompts used in creation
Weird Allison Bergeron
In 2024, we went back to our roots and explored stagecraft with a number of short performances developed entirely by biological lifeforms. Our mission culminated with Weird Allison Bergeron, a gender-swapped musical adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s science-fiction short story “Harrison Bergeron”.
For this excursion, we built a full stage for Martian Theatre, adding lighting and sound to our scrappy desert styles. We also upped our game in the realm of props and costuming, immersing the audience in a dystopian America. I mean, you know, a different dystopian America than the one we are in. This show had it all: melodrama, bad ballet, song and dance numbers, fascism, everything. This wild experiment, along with the construction of our stage, opens up a world or two of potential for 2025’s Martian Theatre expedition.
“Never planned on it, but the theater crew ended up being my main community ❤
much laughs, such vibes, gud frens ❤ Martian theater to the moon 🚀”
-Colton
“Hands down one of the absolute peak highlights of my Mars experience. Singing and dancing and dying on stage everyday, together, really left its mark on my soul.”
-Camille a.k.a. Allison Bergeron
Here is a link to an almost final draft of the Weird Allison Bergeron script.
A Note From Ivan DelSol, Expedition Organizer
Martian Theatre developed organically from the freeform methodology of Mars College. A little community theatre experience combined with the immeasurable talent and humor of the Martian cohort was the primordial soup from which this strange entity emerged. At this point it’s alive and we just need to feed it and give it a place to nest.
Here’s what I can offer the expedition: A few decades of anarchic theatre work and absolutely no schooling in the theatrical arts. A strong tendency to lean into absurd and overblown campfire-skits, usually involving lots of action, re-lyriced pop music, and the occasional jab at serious social/political themes. I like it kinda high-tech and simultaneously pretty trashy. My best work has been with people that also have little or no training, creating shows that run largely on spirit, creativity, and the inborn human ability to do funny shit in front of your friends.
But that’s just me and my personal style and I’m hoping other people will want to make some magic for the stage this year as well, whatever that looks like. Seriously, it’s the wild west out here… we can do anything. I am super excited to incorporate other creative folks, with experience or not, to build a multi-faceted, multi-genre desert theatre team. For me, making wacky stage shows with my friends is one of the most fun parts of being on Earth. Let’s do it.
This Year’s Schedule and Opportunities
The central goal is just to make more awesome performances and to have a blast doing it. We have a stage and lights and sound and weird ideas. We want to work with more people with more weird ideas to produce more weird shows. Please reach out if you’d like to be involved in any of the following activities, or have your own schemes.
“A lot of work but the work doesn’t feel like work because it’s also play”
Acoustic Sam
October - December 2024
We’re kicking things off early this year!
Workshop “Bombaylien”
To inspire participation in this year’s Martian Theatre, we’ll do an early workshop of “Bombaylien”, a musical adaptation of the science fiction classic “Alien”. This will be an easy-going and fun process culminating in a single low-pressure performance: a staged reading/singing for Bombay friends and family on New Year’s Eve.
Opportunity: cast - take a role in the production.
No experience necessary, very easy going, memorization optional
One rehearsal a week for 2 months. Maybe more rehearsals if the rest of the cast is into it. At a minimum, you’ll need to be in Bombay in December.
Opportunity: crew - help with any number of offstage aspects of the production: set, props, costumes, music, choreography, tech etc.
Commitment flexible
Opportunity: Martian Theatre Program Co-Organizer
Want to take a leadership role in this year’s Martian Theatre program? Come to Bombay early and help with the following:
Help develop and wrangle Bombaylien staged reading.
Help create programming and activities for the year.
Help develop the physical stage.
Some experience preferred.
Housing or camp vehicle parking available.
January - mid-April 2024
This is the official Mars College season as well as the official Bombay Beach Biennale season.
Bombaylien Full Production
Opportunity: cast - take a role in the production.
No experience necessary, but will take some time and effort.
One rehearsal a week in January, twice a week in February and March.
Opportunity: crew - help with any number of offstage aspects of the production: set, props, costumes, music, choreography, tech etc.
Commitment flexible
Skit Theater at Various Mars and Bombay Events
Opportunity: create a short (5-10 minute) stage piece of any kind for one of the many Mars and Bombay events that happens at this time of year. We will help however we can to make your idea a reality.
Opportunity: participate in one of the skits. This usually doesn’t take a huge amount of time or practice, and is hella fun.
Theatre Games and Workshops
Opportunity: share your skills and interests. Put on a theatre or performance oriented workshop of any kind during the Mars season. We will help you organize and promote the event.
Opportunity: participate in theatre games and workshops
Opportunity: Produce a Show for the Martian Theatre Stage
Open invitation to create a theatre piece of any kind for the Martian Stage at Bombay Beach Biennale. Our team will support you however we can, but the earlier we start, the better.
Opportunity: participate in one of the shows that manifests this year
Opportunity: Martian Theatre Program Co-Organizer
Want to take a leadership role in this year’s Martian Theatre program? There will be plenty to do during the season!
Develop and wrangle the Bombaylien show.
Help with programming and activities.
Help develop the physical stage.
Some experience preferred.
Housing or camp vehicle parking available.
Mid-April - ? 2025
There has been some talk about a possible…
Martian Theatre Tour
This is something we’ve discussed in the past and might just happen this year. The idea is to perform one or more of our productions in other places. Possible locations include:
Slab City
Local music and art festivals including Joshua Tree Music Festival
Other nearby venues that will have us, including desert cities and Los Angeles. Hollywood Fringe Festival, anyone?
If we can make the right contacts 👽 or get our hands on the right vehicle 🛸 maybe we can even get off this messed up planet!
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