Experiments: PRETTY PERFECT LIVES
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Written by Gage Tarlton
Directed by Britt Berke
"In 2032, a relationship is put to the ultimate test when Gen Z lifestyle influencer couple Tiffany&Tucker enter various augmented realities after being selected to join the Internet Reality Simulation-Project (IRS-P). A speculative fiction play about internet addiction, mental health, and how far we'll go to save a relationship."
TIFFANY: Tori Jewell
TUCKER: Hayward Leach
JESSE: Sam Hamashima
STAGE DXN: Alesha Jeter
GAGE TARLTON is a playwright and theatre artist from North Carolina. His work has been developed with Victory Gardens Theater, The Kennedy Center, PlayMakers Repertory Company, The Misfits Theatre Company, and Kenan Theatre Company. He is one of two finalists for the 2022 UCross + The Blank Theatre’s Future of Playwriting Prize, a 2019 Kennedy Center Playwriting Fellow, a two-time semifinalist for The O”Neill’s National Playwrights Conference, a 2021 finalist for the Art House Production’s INKubator New Play Program, a 2020 finalist for the Echo Theatre Company’s National Young Playwrights in Residence, a recipient of distinguished achievement from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, and a semifinalist for the Playwrights Foundation’s Bay Area Playwrights Festival. He is currently commissioned by the Queen City New Play Initiative.
Britt Berke (director): Recent projects include the World Premiere of Betty Smith’s Becomes a Woman (Mint Theater Company); Anne Carson’s Antigonick (Torn Out Theatre); DOGS(Ground Floor at Berkeley Rep); watchme (New York Theatre Workshop Residency);Promenade in concert (The Public Theatre’s Fornés Marathon); Flash (a musical fundraiser for NourishNYC); Liberian Girl in Brooklyn(Mabou Mines) and Round Room (Origin Theater’s 1st Irish Festival - Best Director nom). Selected assistant work: The Skin of Our Teeth(dir. Lileana Blain-Cruz, Tony nom); Mud / Drowning (dir. JoAnne Akalaitis, Obie Award). Britt is a member of the Roundabout Directors Group, and an alumna of the MTC Directing Fellowship and SDC & NAMT Observerships. BA, Barnard College of Columbia University. SDC Associate Member. brittberke.com [brittberke.com].
Experiments Play Reading Series
For the 23rd season of La MaMa Experiments we will focus on theatrical works in progress addressing mental health issues. No one is more familiar with the need to create greater access to mental healthcare than our New York audience, who come face to face with this crisis on a daily basis. After 3 years of a global pandemic, all of us are feeling the upsurge of anxiety and depression, but these trends have been on the rise long before Covid-19. The works this season shed light on important, personal stories and deal with this subject matter in many different and unique ways. From tongue in cheek comedies to absurdist tragedies, Experiments hopes to create a season that will destigmaify, enlighten and, yes, even entertain.