“Pandemic performance pioneer” Peter Michael Marino (named 2020 Creative of the Year” by the Young-Howze Theatre Awards) brings New York a grape juice stained parody of the 1968 classic, “Planet of the Apes” Thursday, October 28th at the Kraine Theatre. For the first time ever after three months of award-winning, live digital performances, The Planet of The Grapes will takes audiences of all ages on an epic, 60-minute adventure fusing Victorian era Toy Theater with one of the most groundbreaking sci-fi films of our time. The performance will feature live music by composer Michael Harren, puppetry, special effects, video projection, and 3-camera simultaneous live streaming. So what’s this unique sci-fi toy theater experience, directed by Michole Biancosino (Trump Lear, Connected), about?
Planet of the Grapes tells the tale of an astronaut crew that crash-lands on an unfamiliar planet in the distant future. The crew is soon enslaved by a society where grapes have evolved into speaking creatures with human-like intelligence. I wonder though, are they are of the Riesling or Champagne variety? Pondering. Marino has infused the script with passes from the Rod Serling screenplay, which included more grown themes of science vs. religion, biased class systems, and mankind’s self-perceived entitlement to everything on Earth. I’m sure these bunch of grapes will do the original masterpiece plenty of comedy justice. Go suck on a juice box while you nab those tickets. Also, never trust anybody over thirty.
Mentions: Show 7pm ET. $25 live on stage/$15 livestream. Running time: 60min. Location: The Kraine Theater, 85 E 4th street, NYC 10003. More info at www.planetgrapeshow.com. This show is produced by Project Y Theatre Company and Richard Jordan Productions. Images by Mikiodo.