Greetings from the Red Planet

by Natalie Valentine

Arin wins the lottery to be the first person on a one-way trip to live on Mars when our planet is on fire in the not-as-distant-as-we'd-like future. Unfortunately for Arin, no matter how far we run, we can't escape our past - or ourselves. The only thing harder to find than your soulmate is your soul.

Arin wins the lottery to be the first person on a one-way trip to live on Mars when our planet is on fire in the not-as-distant-as-we'd-like future. Unfortunately for Arin, no matter how far we run, we can't escape our past - or ourselves. The only thing harder to find than your soulmate is your soul.

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Greetings from the Red Planet

Recommended by

  • Samantha Marchant: Greetings from the Red Planet by Natalie Valentine
    “

    I was struck by the repetition and revision, space and the sea and all the beautiful moments with the stars.

    I was struck by the repetition and revision, space and the sea and all the beautiful moments with the stars.

    ”
  • John Bavoso: Greetings from the Red Planet by Natalie Valentine
    “

    In Greetings from the Red Planet, Natalie has created a beautiful little slice of life about grief and pain—but also suffused it with genuine humor and love. A one-way trip to Mars is a striking and timely metaphor for mortality, and ultimately Arin’s challenge is to find a way to live on this (deeply flawed, rapidly failing) planet, in spite of everything, just like the rest of us. The dialogue crackles and a talented team of designers could make something really magical out of this gorgeous script. Everyone should read this play!

    In Greetings from the Red Planet, Natalie has created a beautiful little slice of life about grief and pain—but also suffused it with genuine humor and love. A one-way trip to Mars is a striking and timely metaphor for mortality, and ultimately Arin’s challenge is to find a way to live on this (deeply flawed, rapidly failing) planet, in spite of everything, just like the rest of us. The dialogue crackles and a talented team of designers could make something really magical out of this gorgeous script. Everyone should read this play!

    ”
  • Tristan B Willis: Greetings from the Red Planet by Natalie Valentine
    “

    In Greetings... Valentine deftly explores loss and the impossibility of running from our flaws and internal struggles - they follow you even into space. The play shifts nonlinearly from a pod hurtling through space to past scenes on Earth; I'd love to see a production team vibing with those shifts.

    From the start I was fully invested in Arin and their family, believing Arin's words implicitly. As the piece continues, Valentine repeats scenes, introducing clever perspective shifts that work and tug and prod, while still keeping me invested and caring - we love a flawed queer character.

    In Greetings... Valentine deftly explores loss and the impossibility of running from our flaws and internal struggles - they follow you even into space. The play shifts nonlinearly from a pod hurtling through space to past scenes on Earth; I'd love to see a production team vibing with those shifts.

    From the start I was fully invested in Arin and their family, believing Arin's words implicitly. As the piece continues, Valentine repeats scenes, introducing clever perspective shifts that work and tug and prod, while still keeping me invested and caring - we love a flawed queer character.

    ”
CHARACTERS:
ARIN RAMOS-ROMAN: Non-binary. Queer. Uses both she/her and they/them pronouns. 30s, the first person chosen to go on a one way trip to Mars. Barista. Married to Tess. Bright but not especially ambitious.
TESS RAMOS-ROMAN: Woman, uses she/her pronouns. 30s. Wife of Arin. Attending grad school for marine biology.
EMILIA ROMAN, 20s: Woman, uses she/her. Arin’s sister. Charming, not much filter. Big “little sister” energy.
DOROTHY ROMAN: Woman, uses she/her. Arin and Emilia’s mother. She tries hard to be a good mother.
CLERK (perhaps played by the actor playing TESS or EMILIA): Any age, any gender.
DR. HAZEL RHYS (perhaps played by the actor playing DOROTHY): Woman or non-binary. 40s-50s. Intelligent and serious: she’s had to be.