By Julia Doolittle
September 13th – October 5th
In space, no one can hear you scream… except for your A.I.
Far out in the Milky Way, “Beacons” serve as lighthouses for warping ships around the galaxy. When a U.S. Space Force ship explodes near Beacon 44.AR.90, its Operator finds herself alone in deep space with only her ship’s A.I. for companionship. That is, until a persistent canvasser calls, desperate to convince her to vote absentee in the 2088 election.
The Absentee is about queer love, finding the hope to overcome grief and intergalactic absentee voting. The profoundly moving space tale challenges traditional notions of love lay to bare the effects of isolationism and reminds us of the duty we owe one another.
The Operator, who can’t share her full name due to space force code, has fled earth, her girlfriend, and her troubles, in pursuit of a shut-off life in the stars. However, she isn’t entirely cut off—she prides herself on being able to know all of the regular ships and pilots who charter through her section.
When an explosion causes her sector to become an isolation zone, her only contact becomes her computer, Beacon—and a man who keeps calling her about absentee voting from space. Her desire to keep hiding from her past is strong, but when a disaster puts her whole station in jeopardy, she is forced to face her grief and civic duty head-on.
When you’re tempted to run away from a world that seems like it’s burning down, sometimes choosing hope is the hardest fight of all.
Buckle up and blast off to The Absentee, running September 13th – October 5th, only at The KNOW Theatre, Your Theatrical Playground. Tickets can be purchased by visiting knowtheatre.com or calling 513.300.5669.