Small Steps by Briandaniel Oglesby

When Skip Powers realizes that no one will ever love him, he volunteers to go to Mars -- and the Principal of NASA says, "Yeah, sure. You'll do." Skip is super gay and isn't really a participant in the gene pool, so it just makes sense to send him millions of miles on the the spaceship Atlantis on a mission that will, in all likelihood, kill him. And after crappy experiences on gay hookup...
When Skip Powers realizes that no one will ever love him, he volunteers to go to Mars -- and the Principal of NASA says, "Yeah, sure. You'll do." Skip is super gay and isn't really a participant in the gene pool, so it just makes sense to send him millions of miles on the the spaceship Atlantis on a mission that will, in all likelihood, kill him. And after crappy experiences on gay hookup apps, he's more than prepared for the training with the Abstinence Coach -- but a little less prepared when the Love of His Life tries to keep him on earth. This play about what it means to attempt to live your life in the pursuit of great things spans a million years and fifty-five million miles.

REVIEWS

"touching, engaging, funny, and surprising (....) SMALL STEPS is a thought-provoking comedy that is easy to love." - Broadway World

"And like Bradbury, Oglesby douses his writing with a rich mixture of humor and hard truths about isolation, loneliness, and the search for real connection in a disconnected world… The Martian Chronicles reflects American society immediately after World War II, when new military technology had amplified humanity’s potentials to create and destroy. Small Steps is a reflection of an American society that has been living with the consequences of all that technology for decades, filtered through Oglesby and Rae’s acerbic and occasionally silly sense of humor. Still, the play ends poignantly. And so, during this production, you will likely laugh until you cry.” - Austin Chronicle


For Virtual/Hybrid Performance Edition: https://newplayexchange.org/plays/1245860/small-steps-virtual-performance-edition
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Small Steps

Recommended by

  • Conor McShane:
    21 Nov. 2021
    “ With the mounting existential threats we face, I'm sure every one of us has wished we could just leave it all behind. We've all wished to be someone important, to do something that leaves a lasting mark on history. This extremely funny, deeply relatable, oddly hopeful play tackles these feelings, as well as the recognition of just how dang hard it is to make a human connection in this world. I loved the sense of heightened reality in the play, and the use of projections and voiceover to augment the jokes. Beautiful stuff! ”
  • Nick Malakhow:
    7 Jun. 2020
    “ Beautiful, hilarious, and brilliantly theatrical! I would be eager to dive into this as an actor, director, or designer. Oglesby examines the loneliness, yearning for connection, and toxic romantic/sexual environment of gay male culture using a really unique extended metaphor that is both so on target and so original. Skip, the sympathetic nucleus of this piece, is thrust on a zany and offbeat journey, and Oglesby makes hilarious use of double/triple/etc-casting to emphasize his loneliness. As poignant as it is funny, the truths explored here feel specific to this LGBTQ context and universal in scope. ”
  • Robert Zelaya:
    4 Jun. 2020
    “ Brilliant, imaginative, and quirky. An enjoyable read that will make you want to follow Skip's journey every step of the way. ”
View all 4 recommendations

Character Information

  • Skip Powers
    25-39,
    Mixed
    ,
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any actor of color
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Actor 2
    25-40,
    Male
    Actor plays a number of roles, including the dreamy and gay Alan James (who now works for a senator), the senator, a stoned out lab technician, a torso from a dating app, and the Principal of NASA. Actor should be able to appear to be the same age as Skip.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Actor 1
    woman
    Actor plays a number of roles, including The Abstinence Coach, Skip's obnoxious aunt, the exceedingly dry Dr. Darla, Skip's bro-tastic brother, and a drunk (and wise) woman at a gay bar.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Any age
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary

Development History

Awards

Winner
,
B Street Theatre's New Comedies Festival
,
B Street Theatre
,
2018