Remain in Light (a starship road trip) (or, a love letter to the greatest music in the galaxy)

by A Yourd

Full-length, no intermission. After a night of partying, a team of aliens awakes on a dilapidated starship cruising towards the planet Earth, with only their emotional baggage, piles of drugs, and a collection of Talking Heads cassette tapes to pass the time. A starship road trip for sad verbose creatures seeking love and sunlight as they traverse the void of space.

Full-length, no intermission. After a night of partying, a team of aliens awakes on a dilapidated starship cruising towards the planet Earth, with only their emotional baggage, piles of drugs, and a collection of Talking Heads cassette tapes to pass the time. A starship road trip for sad verbose creatures seeking love and sunlight as they traverse the void of space.

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Remain in Light (a starship road trip) (or, a love letter to the greatest music in the galaxy)

Character Information

No singular third-person pronouns are used in the text of this play. In reading, the characters may be referred to by they/them pronouns. In rehearsals, they may be referred to by the pronouns of the actors playing them. Intended to be performed with multiple trans and gender non-conforming performers.

Even though they seem to have been given a great deal of responsibility by their employers, these characters are young. Grain alcohol, bad decision-making, existential terror, undeveloped prefrontal cortex YOUNG. The worst dorm party you’ve ever been to, but on a starship.
  • The Captain (Cap)
    The charismatic one. Full of joy to finally be in charge of a ship. Hides secrets with smarm, mockery, and anger (in that order). Perpetually looking for distractions, occasionally betrays a hidden competence.
    early 20s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
  • The Lieutenant (Lieu)
    The intelligent one (at least, according to Lieu). Second-in- command to Cap, but the same age and experience. Probably should have been promoted instead. Perpetually kind of hungover, occasionally betrays a hidden generosity.
    early 20s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
  • The Sergeant (Sarge)
    The strong one. The ship’s security officer. Perpetually preparing to protect everyone, occasionally betrays a fear of everything.
    early 20s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
  • The Corporal (Cor)
    The hard-working one. The ship’s pilot and technician and mechanic and honestly the only one who ever does any work at all. Approaching and surpassing the threshold for burnout. Perpetually trying to maintain composure, occasionally can’t.
    late teens / early 20s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
  • The Recruit (Ree)
    The kind one. The least experienced on the ship. Naive in the kind of way that sometimes turns weirdly feral. Perpetually curious, occasionally insightful.
    late teens / early 20s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s

Development History

  • Reading, Theatre Viscera, 2023
  • Reading, University of New Mexico, 2022
  • Workshop, University of New Mexico, 2022
  • Reading, University of New Mexico, 2021