Repossessed

by Greg Lam

FULL LENGTH - What would happen to our world if anyone could choose to remix and rewrite their memories and personalities?

Rich and Gretchen seem to have the ideal marriage, until they learn that it was manufactured by a mysterious biotech company which installed it into their brains. Because they can no longer afford this service, the company must repossess their improvements.

REPOSSESSED explores questions...

FULL LENGTH - What would happen to our world if anyone could choose to remix and rewrite their memories and personalities?

Rich and Gretchen seem to have the ideal marriage, until they learn that it was manufactured by a mysterious biotech company which installed it into their brains. Because they can no longer afford this service, the company must repossess their improvements.

REPOSSESSED explores questions of identity, morality, and authenticity amidst a world of rapidly changing technology and the ethics that come with it.

REPOSSESSED is published by Broadway Play Publishing in paperback and electronic versions. (https://www.broadwayplaypublishing.com/the-plays/repossessed/) Perusal copies available upon request to author. A 20 page sample is available on NPX.

Full audio production available in Podcast form by The Parsnip Ship: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-parsnip-ship/e/63173050

Hear an excerpt of the play with playwright interview here: https://www.bostonpodcastplayers.com/bpp-season1/

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Repossessed

Recommended by

  • Dave Osmundsen: Repossessed

    I listened to this fascinating and thought-provoking play on the Parsnip Ship. I’m extremely intrigued by the world that Greg Lam has so carefully and cleverly constructed here. I also love the ethical questions and quandaries that Lam proposes with this play: Can science go too far in its attempts to improve humanity? Or are we humans responsible by turning to science to erase our flaws? Check this one out!

    I listened to this fascinating and thought-provoking play on the Parsnip Ship. I’m extremely intrigued by the world that Greg Lam has so carefully and cleverly constructed here. I also love the ethical questions and quandaries that Lam proposes with this play: Can science go too far in its attempts to improve humanity? Or are we humans responsible by turning to science to erase our flaws? Check this one out!

  • Nick Malakhow: Repossessed

    Brilliant theatrical sci-fi! Good science fiction takes the issues of the society from which it's born and refracts them back with a fantastical lens, and "Repossessed" does just that. The memory and persona altering technology employed in this play provides an elegant, straightforward, and yet complex metaphor for the ways we change ourselves to appease partners and friends, the ways we change and adapt as adults to further our own goals, and the tensions and interactions between those two tendencies. All of the characters are vividly rendered and Gretchen's journey, particularly, is...

    Brilliant theatrical sci-fi! Good science fiction takes the issues of the society from which it's born and refracts them back with a fantastical lens, and "Repossessed" does just that. The memory and persona altering technology employed in this play provides an elegant, straightforward, and yet complex metaphor for the ways we change ourselves to appease partners and friends, the ways we change and adapt as adults to further our own goals, and the tensions and interactions between those two tendencies. All of the characters are vividly rendered and Gretchen's journey, particularly, is compelling and surprising start to finish.

  • Gabriella Bonamici: Repossessed

    'Repossessed' is a mind-bending, fast-moving, and fascinating take on what it means to love a person, including ourselves. A fun and intriguing read from beginning to end.

    'Repossessed' is a mind-bending, fast-moving, and fascinating take on what it means to love a person, including ourselves. A fun and intriguing read from beginning to end.

View all 9 recommendations

Character Information

The Voice could be doubled either with the actress playing Cindy or one of the other two actors. With the doubling as noted below, the play can be produced with a minimum of seven actors.

Small Roles

Actor 1
Server (Act 1, Scenes 1 and 5, Act 2, Scene 9)
Radio News Anchor (OS) (Act 2, Scene 13
Nurse (Act 1, Scene 8; Act 2, Scene 11, 13)
Surgeon 1 (Interlude 4, Act 2, Scene 13)
Regina’s Assistant (Act 2, Scene 1)
Doorman (OS) (Act 2, Scene 8)

Actor 2
Financial Reporter (OS) (Act 2, Scene 13)
Singer (OS) (Interlude 2)
Interviewer (OS) (Interlude 3)
Surgeon 2 (Interlude 4; Act 2, Scene 11, 13)
Restaurant Patron (Act 2, Scene 1)
Conference Host (Interlude 5; Epilogue)

  • Rich Warner
    Appears to be a self-possessed man of dignity and success, used to being a success at all levels of life, like someone who has just finished giving his Ted Talk.

    Character Age
    40-55
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Gretchen Warner
    Appears to be a cultured and intelligent woman of style and tact, like someone just featured in the New York Times Style section.
    Character Age
    35-45
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Regina Hastings
    Appears to be an ambitious and powerful woman heading a groundbreaking biotech company, like someone who just nailed her Senate testimony.
    Character Age
    45-70
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Ted Naughton
    A lawyer and Rich’s longtime friend despite his obvious shortcomings.
    Character Age
    50-70
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Cindy
    Appears to be just a girl you meet but don’t really think much about.

    Character Age
    28-35
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • The Voice
    Appears to be a soothing and reassuring disembodied voice, helpful, comforting and without emotion. Should be visually represented onstage in some fashion.
    Character Age
    20-80

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Tiny Theatre, Year 2020
  • Type Reading, Organization Pork Filled Players, Year 2017
  • Type Reading, Organization Fresh Ink Theatre, Year 2017
  • Type Reading, Organization The Depot in Connecticut, Year 2017
  • Type Reading, Organization Boston Podcast Players, Year 2017

Production History

  • Type Fringe, Organization The Parsnip Ship Podcast/Artists' Theater of Boston, Year 2019
  • Type Professional, Organization Theatre Conspiracy (FL), Year 2018

Awards

  • New Work Initiative
    Lotus Lee Foundation
    Winner
    2018
  • New Play Contest Winner
    Theatre Conspiracy
    Winner
    2017
  • Semi-Finalist
    Dayton Playhouse Futurefest
    Semi-Finalist
    2018
  • The Lift-Off Series
    Navigators Theatre
    Finalist
    2017