A Sampling of Climate Change Theater

Original theatrical sketches from our recent performance at Fahs Theater in Princeton.

THE TENSE FAMILY

 

EARTH LOGIC IN SPACE

CLIMATE IN A MINUTE

CARBON DATING

SHAKESPEARE'S TITANIA

Fahs Theater Performance a Great Success

Update: A full-length video of the show is now available on youtube. 

A full room gave a standing ovation to Climate Cabaret's first performance at the Fahs Theater in Princeton. The show offered wit, insight and beauty in theatrical sketches and songs about the defining issue of our time.

The show began with a poem written and performed by a carbon dioxide molecule,

and featured an appearance by Titania from Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, who warned of a "distemperature".

Climate Cabaret standards like "Earth Logic in Space" and "Carbon Dating" mixed with more recent sketches: "Headed for a Cliff" and "The Tense Family."

Midway through we debuted Sam Russell's new film, "The King's Speech on Climate Change," which grew out of our climate-adaptation of The King's Speech, and stars our own Fred Dennehy.

Performing were Cheryl Anne Jones, Basha Parmet, Fred Dennehy, and Steve Hiltner.

Thanks to Dunbar Birnie and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton for sponsoring and hosting the performance, and to the local chapter of Citizens' Climate Lobby for their support and inspiration. Thanks also to Perry Jones and Alison Cote for lighting assistance, and videographer Chuck McEnroe for documenting the evening.

All theatrical sketches and songs written or adapted by Stephen K. Hiltner

The King's Speech on Climate Change

One of Climate Cabaret's theatrical sketches--a climate-adapted version of The King's Speech, has been made into a film by filmmaker Sam Russell. The five minute film stars Fred Dennehy as King George VI, with script and concept by Steve Hiltner, and James Degnen producer. Sam did a beautiful job with this movie, which has been shown on Climate Monitor TV and is being submitted to environmental film festivals.

The film can be viewed on Sam Russell's website:

The King's Speech on Climate Change from Sam Russell on Vimeo.

"GROW UP!" -- A Tiny Play About Vast, Empty Lawns

It's a real treat to see other acting troupes performing our scripts! Lawns are energy-intensive, little-used seas of exotic grass kept in a perpetually infantile state. They seem to make little sense, but they are everywhere. Here's a short play in which a real estate agent is showing his client a community called Quiet Acres, with "stately homes (the two seated actors) and vast, empty, green lawns (the two actors lying down in front)." The client's impressed until the lawns themselves start to bicker about who's greener than whom.

Thanks to director Steve Gaissert and actors Jan Applebaum, John Eldis, Frank Falisi, Rachel Friedman, Susan Gaissert, and Sarah Stryker, for a wonderful performance!

GROW UP!

By Stephen K. Hiltner, May, 2017

Two actors each represent a suburban lawn, lying on their backs on the stage, about five feet apart, feet towards audience. Immediately behind each is a house, represented by a chair. (OPTIONAL: A homeowner sits on each chair, stiff posture, looking blankly straight ahead.) The lawns tilt their heads up to argue with each other, but otherwise remain prostrate until the last line, when they both sit up and face the audience to utter their last line.

REAL ESTATE AGENT and CLIENT stroll in from side.

AGENT: (to CLIENT, gesturing clearly towards the homes and lawns) Here at Quiet Acres, you’ll find the neighbors are very proud of their stately homes and vast, empty, green lawns.

CLIENT: (impressed) I’d love to live here. It’s so refined, so peaceful, so controlled.

LAWN 1: (in the direction of CLIENT, who is looking elsewhere) I’m greener than her. (gestures towards other lawn)

CLIENT: (turning towards the talking lawn in surprise) What was that?

LAWN 1: I’m greener than her.

LAWN 2: No you’re not.

LAWN 1: Yes I am.

LAWN 2: No you’re not.

LAWN 1: Am so.

LAWN 2: Am not.

CLIENT: Hey, break it up. You both look great.

LAWN 2: (beat) She’s got weeds.

LAWN 1: No I don’t.

LAWN 2: Oh yeah? Well what’s that dandelion doing down there?

LAWN 1: You’re one to talk.

LAWN 2: How dare you?

LAWN 1: Look over there. (pointing to a weed on LAWN 2)

LAWN 2: Eck. Spray me!

LAWNS 1: Spray me first!

LAWN 2: Spray ME!

LAWNS 1: No, ME!

CLIENT: Stop it! (beat) Why don’t you … grow up?

(immediately LAWNS 1 and 2 react by sitting up, facing audience, feet still stretched out in front. AGENT (and HOMEOWNERS, if any) shows a sudden burst of vehemence.)

AGENT, (HOMEOWNERS), LAWNS 1 and 2: Never!!! (LAWNS 1 and 2 immediately return to lying flat on floor. Agent regains pleasant demeanor.)

END OF SCENE

Team Spirit--Contrasting Sports With Climate Change

For anyone looking for a model of human behavior--some deep motivation that we could tap to shift humanity towards a less perilous course--people's passion for team sports offers a ray of hope. There's the strong tradition of putting the team first. Individual glory lacks meaning if the team doesn't prosper. The fans, too, are devoted body and soul to the collective enterprise, and glory in the feeling of being part of something larger than themselves. In sports, people lose their phobia for numbers. Fans revel in statistics, grasp the immensity while obsessing over the details. Did the receiver have possession when he stepped out of bounds? Show me the rerun, in slow motion.

If only we could channel such collective passion towards activities that really matter. A game's outcome seems all-important at the time, but doesn't change the world one bit. Meanwhile, the climate that sustains life as we know it is being radically altered, and rather than rise to the challenge, many people invent excuses for not taking action. Contrast that attitude with how people react when a team makes a last minute comeback to win the big game. This year's Superbowl 51, in which the New England Patriots pulled off a seemingly impossible comeback, was a case in point.

"Team Spirit" crams that contrast into one minute of theater, through dialogue between fans "A" and "B". The piece was first performed as part of the 2016 NJ One-Minute Festival hosted by the Luna Stage.

TEAM SPIRIT

by Stephen Hiltner

Two people stand together, center-right. They speak to each other, but address portions of sentences out into space.

A: The climate isn’t changing.

B: And if the climate IS changing, it’s not our fault.

A: And if it IS our fault, there’s nothing we can do about it.

B: And if there IS something we can do about it, it would hurt the economy.

A: And even if it didn’t hurt the economy, we’re just one country.

B: And even if other countries go along and do something, too, I mean, why bother? It’s already too late.

A: Right!

B: (pause) Hey, do we have time to catch the game?

A: (starts heading slowly stage left) Yeah. Let’s go. Did you see the last one?

B: (joining him, slow progression stage left as they continue talking) That was amazing. I don’t know how they pulled it out, but they did!

A: What a team! They don’t give up.

B: (pausing to revel in the team’s attributes) So resilient.

A: Yeah. And they adjust. They aren’t stuck in their ways. They find a way to win!

B: (they resume walking stage left) And they’re unselfish, you know? Everybody does their part. A real team effort.

A: And that last shot, right at the buzzer.

B: Man, I was horse from cheering.

A: I LOVE games like that!

(the last words are spoken as they leave stage. A few moments of silence, with stage empty, before lights dim for next play, to allow the irony to sink in. The empty stage could represent the void in action taken to slow climate change.)