THE ROBOT, THE SPY, AND THE LOVE OF AI – A GROUNDBREAKING FUSION OF AI, ROBOTICS, AND LIVE THEATRE – HEADLINES THE 2025 CHAIN WINTER ONE-ACT FESTIVAL

New York, NY - January 31, 2025:  Chain Theatre, Kirk Gostkowski, Artistic Director, Rick Hamilton, Managing Director, Christina Elise Perry, Director of Development, is pleased to announce the world premiere of THE ROBOT, THE SPY, AND THE LOVE OF AI – a groundbreaking production that explores the use of actual robotics and AI programming capabilities onstage – directed by Gostkowski and written by John Arthur Long.  A pioneering fusion of AI, robotics, and live theatre, THE ROBOT, THE SPY, AND THE LOVE OF AI will play five performances as part of Program #1 at the 2025 Chain Winter One-Act Festival. Program #1 also includes Tony Award winner David Rabe’s NY premiere of BY THE LOOK OF HER and head of the Director and Playwrights Unit of the Actors Studio Lyle Kessler’s world premiere of BROTHERS.  Program #1 will have its first performance on ​ Friday, February 14, and its last performance on Saturday, March 1, at the Chain Theatre (312 W 36th St, 3rd Floor, New York, NY, 10018). Tickets will be $23 in advance and $26 at the door. More information is available at www.chaintheatre.org.

THE ROBOT, THE SPY, AND THE LOVE OF AI centers around the dangers of AI and the classic sci-fi trope of what it means to be truly human. It is a never-before-seen immersive experience with actors and robots performing together on stage. A comedic exploration into the downfalls of technology, the production stars Gabriel Rysdahl (Amazon Prime's THE BETTER SISTER), Monica Park (SIMPATICO), and the theatrical stage debut of the Unitree G2 Pro Quadrupled Robot Dog. G2 Pro movements operated by Dariel Garcia (Lighting Programmer, La Llamada Repertorio Espanol NY). Voice Over for ROBIE by award-winning filmmaker and actor David Rey, (CHASING THE RIVER ​ and whose voice can be heard in many commercials).

“Audiences will be blown away by what Unitree G2 Pro Quadrupled Robot Dog is capable of. It’s made possible because of Dariel Garcia’s skills in operating the robot and David Rey’s versatility as an actor to give it a soul in its voice.” Kirk Gostkowski, Director and Artistic Director of the Chain Theatre. “What started out as an experiment is quickly coming to full realization. I’d even go so far as we’ve found a way to give Unitree G2 Pro Quadrupled Robot Dog a personality. It’s different than watching a robot in a movie, seeing it in person, especially in play.”

Now a cornerstone of New York City’s theater scene, the CHAIN WINTER ONE-ACT FESTIVAL has become one of the city’s largest and most dynamic showcases for new work. This vibrant festival is a creative playground for established and emerging talent, celebrating the power of storytelling in all its forms. Chain Theatre again opens its doors to NYC’s playwrights, actors, and directors for an exhilarating lineup of original works. Each production is thoughtfully curated to create a thrilling “mix-tape” of live theater, blending drama, comedy, and everything in between. Past festivals have featured original works by luminaries like Academy Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg (THE SOCIAL NETWORK, A REAL PAIN), who returns this year to produce Jeryl Brunner’s WIPEOUT, and Academy Award and Pulitzer Prize winner John Patrick Shanley (MOONSTRUCK, DOUBT: A PARABLE). Experience the best independent theater at one of NYC’s top venues, and immerse yourself in a festival brimming with creativity, innovation, and unforgettable performances.

THE ROBOT, THE SPY, AND THE LOVE OF AI is stage-managed by Rafaella Rossi, and Spencer Giles is the board operator.

Running Time: 90 minutes for Program Block #1

Website: www.chaintheatre.org
​https://www.chaintheatre.org/winter-one-act-festival-2025

IG: @chaintheatrenyc FB: ChainTheatre

Media Kit with Photos
​Individual Show One-Sheets

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JOHN ARTHUR LONG (Playwright) ​ has been active as an educator, a writer, and a director in theater for his entire professional career. Along with Kirk Gostkowski, the Chain Theatre’s Artistic Director, Long received a Best Director nomination for the Chain Theatre’s Off-Broadway revival production of WAIT UNTIL DARK. It was also at the Chain Theatre that Long developed the original musical, DRAGULA: A Transgender Tale, written in partnership with Theodore Kastrinos, through a series of critically acclaimed Chain theatre workshop productions that Long then transposed into a best-selling audiobook in which both his narration and singing performance won 1st prize for the SOVAS Best Voiceover Fiction Narration award out of some 35,000 audiobooks produced in 2020. Along with several fiction novels, Long is also the co-author of a children’s book, THE TOOTH FAIRY LEGEND, a perennial top-seller and favorite of children, which was based on his original family theatrical musical, the audiobook-winning nominations for Best Author/Narrator and Best Sound Design. Long is excited to have the opportunity to explore the ever-evolving and often controversial world of robots and AI through his latest fiction creation at the Chain Theatre’s Winter One Act Festival.

CHAIN THEATRE always seeks to reflect and react to the world around us. Culturally. Politically. Socially. Audiences can find investment in the work at the Chain because the work is about them, no matter what it might be. It’s a place where artists and audiences can expand their perspectives.

The critically acclaimed Chain Theatre (NYT Critic’s pick MACBITCHES) is a premiere Off-Broadway producing organization in midtown Manhattan. Chain Theatre produced the World Premiere of GARBAGEMAN by Emmy-nominated Keith Huff (A STEADY RAIN, MAD MEN, HOUSE OF CARDS) and has also collaborated with Tony Award winner David Rabe (HURLYBURLY, IN THE BOOM BOOM ROOM) and Eric Bogosian (AN EVENING WITH ERIC BOGOSIAN). Most recent hit World Premiere productions include: THIS G*D DAMN HOUSE (ScreenCraft Grand Prize Winner), A WILL TO LIVE, and WHAT PASSES FOR COMEDY. Chain Theatre is at 312 W. 36th Street, 3rd and 4th Floor, New York, NY 10018. For more about the Chain Theatre, visit ​www.chaintheatre.org @chaintheatrenyc

Chain Theatre is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible. 

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