Pahrump Theatre Company putting on the original robot story

Thought-provoking and intense – that’s how the Pahrump Theatre Company is describing its upcoming production featuring Karel Capek’s “Rossum’s Universal Robots”, the play that originally introduced the word “robot” to the masses. Despite being more than a century old, this play still resonates with relevance in a world of ever-advancing technology.

Set to debut locally on Friday, Feb. 20, R.U.R. will run inside the Pahrump Theatre Company’s home, the Calvada Theater, on weekend evenings until Sunday, March 1 and it’s promising to be an intriguing time.

“What happens when humanity builds something designed to serve us perfectly and then loses control of it?” Pahrump Theatre Company queries. “Written in the 1920s but feeling shockingly modern, the story explores automation, free will, labor and what it really means to be human… This is not a kids’ show. R.U.R is intense, smart and unsettling in the best way. If you like sci-fi, philosophy or stories that make you think on the drive home, this one is for you.”

Taking the lead in the play is the Pahrump Valley Times’ own cartoonist, Eric Coleman, whose creative pursuits are far from limited to his artwork. “I reckon that with any creative endeavor, if you have the capacity to do it and don’t, it’s lost potential, lost energy,” Coleman remarked. “Not doing something you’ve been thinking about gnaws on you, on your subconscious.”

Coleman has spent some time on the stage before and has even created his own play, “Bloody Haymarket”, which he wrote and co-directed with Dave McGrath and produced with Ben David Garza. But he has not yet taken center stage as the star of a production. R.U.R. will be his first and he is somewhat nervous but very excited to step into the spotlight.

“I counted my lines and I have 271 of them. It’s a bit intimidating but I’m up for the challenge. Oliver, the director, knows that I’ve acted before and took a chance on me and I thank him for that. We’ve got a great cast and everyone is helping each other out,” Coleman said.

As to the play itself, Coleman will be playing Harry Domin, the manager of a factory that produces artificial workers.

“A visit by President Glory’s daughter, played by the amazing Pearl Seeback, changes the environment and the trajectory of the humans that work at the factory. It’s impressive how many things Karel got right about the future,” Coleman detailed. “Oliver has added another wrinkle by pushing it even further and setting it in space. My character, Harry Domin, is a confident tech bro and it’s been fun getting into character, especially the part where he goes off the rails in the second act and starts drinking hard and seeing ghosts.”

Tickets for R.U.R. are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors or veterans and $5 for youth, with the play recommended for those in their teens or older.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit PahrumpTheatre.org

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com