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HEDDATRON
May 11 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm PDT
$10 – $16HEDDATRON
By Elizabeth Meriwether
Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler in the age of Artificial Intelligence
May 3 – 12, 2024, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at
2:30 p.m. (ST)
Contains Mature Language and Situations
A wildly creative, absurd and surprising reinvention of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler. Jane Gordon, a pregnant housewife, is abducted by robots, taken to the rainforest, and forced to perform Hedda Gabler by her robot captors. Meanwhile Nugget, her ten-year-old daughter, with the aid of her milquetoast father, an eager documentary filmmaker and her small arms dealing uncle must rescue Jane – whether she wants to be saved or not. As we approach the AI singularity, Heddatron constructs a bizarre and strangely familiar world of reality TV and rocket launchers where everyone, artificial or otherwise, just wants to feel a little bit human.
Palomar Performing Arts presents Heddatron, the Final Theatrical Production of its 2023/24 season.
Prepare for a theatrical experience unlike any other as Heddatron, written by Elizabeth Meriwether, takes the stage May 3 – 12, 2024, in the Studio Theatre located on the Palomar College San Marcos campus; Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sunday at 2:30 pm.
Elizabeth Hughes Meriwether is an American writer, producer and television showrunner. Meriwether grew up aspiring to be an actress, but when she wrote her first play, she realized she wanted to be a playwright instead. She is known for creating the Fox sitcom New Girl, and for writing the plays Heddatron (2006), The Mistakes Madeline Made (2006) and Oliver Parker! (2010) and the romantic comedy film No Strings Attached (2011). She also created the ABC sitcoms Single Parents and Bless This Mess and the Hulu drama The Dropout.
This innovative production reimagines Henrik Ibsen’s timeless classic, Hedda Gabler, through the lens of artificial intelligence, promising audiences a wild journey into the realms of absurdity and intrigue. Under the direction of Michael Mufson, Heddatron transports viewers into a world where the lines between humanity and technology blur.
Jane Gordon, a pregnant housewife, is abducted by robots, taken to the rainforest, and thrust into an unexpected role: performing “Hedda Gabler” with her mechanical captors. Meanwhile Nugget, her ten-year-old child, with the aid of their milquetoast father, an eager documentary filmmaker and their small arms dealing uncle must rescue Jane from the mechanical grip of her captors, whether she wants to be saved or not. As we approach the AI singularity, Heddatron constructs a bizarre and strangely familiar world of reality TV and rocket launchers where everyone, artificial or otherwise, just wants to feel a little bit human.
Director Michael Mufson said, “When Merriweather wrote Heddatron in 2006, ‘Artificial Intelligence’ was barely a blip on our radar. Here we are in 2024 and the rise of AI is a looming issue of rapidly accelerating concern.”
He went on to say, “What I find most profound in Heddatron, is the way the so-called ‘intelligence’ of the robots is utterly limited by the dominant behaviors they imitate from human social structures. Their discovery of human identity reflects flawed human assumptions, especially as it relates to gender. Ibsen is most famous for writing female characters who battle the crushing limits imposed by society on women’s personhood. Somehow, the robots’ struggle liberates Jane to experience her own power. It’s confusing and messy and profoundly human.”
Please note that Heddatron contains mature language and situations, making it suitable for adult audiences.
Parking is free in lots 1 & 15 for this performance. Studio Theatre is located at Palomar College, 1140 W. Mission Road in San Marcos, CA 92069. Tickets and updated information can be found at www.palomarperforms.com or by calling or texting 760-214-9109. Group rates are available. Ticket prices range from $14 – $22.
Media Contact:
Carl Thompson – Marketing and Program Coordinator
cthompson2@palomar.edu 760-744-1150, ext. 3997