Helen Hayes Recommended We Happy Few tries their hand at an underseen sci-fi classic for this year’s fall production. Rossum’s Universal Robots (often rendered R.U.R.) originated not only the word “robot,” but the very idea of a robot apocalypse. Searingly prescient for its time over a century ago and uncomfortably relevant today, R.U.R. interrogates issues of science, automation, and capitalism run amok and humanity’s purpose in the universe as it posits a world overflowing with cheap and exploitable labor. “If you were to wake up only for a moment you would kill me for having made you.” Rossum has developed a method to create human-like robots, and a factory is built on a remote island to crank out enough robots to meet demand. Around the world, robots quickly replace humans in what are considered menial tasks: assembly lines, domestic labor, secretarial work, etc. A young woman journeys to the island to free the robots, but in her naive enthusiasm, becomes deeply embroiled in the fate of the robots, and ultimately, the fate of the human race. R.U.R. is a sci-fi melodrama before the genre existed. ABOUT THE ARTISTS Rossum’s Universal Robots was written by Karel Čapek. It is directed by Matt Reckeweg (Hugo Ball: A Dada Puppet Adventure: Pointless Theatre Company) and stars Made Key (Rhinoceros: Pointless Theatre Company), Paige O’Malley (DESDEMONA, KILL THE RIPPER), Matthew Sparacino (IPHIGENIA, The Rainmaker: First Stage), Emilia Pazniokas (IPHIGENIA, DESDEMONA), Scott Whalen (FRANKENSTEIN, Treasure Island: Synetic Theatre), Shaquille Stewart (tempered: 4615 Theatre Company), and Andrew Quilpa (Love Like Tuesday: Faction of Fools). Produced by Kerry McGee. Production management by Keith Hock. Stage management by Makenzi Wentela. Intimacy direction by Mallory Shear. Fight choreography by Robert Pike. Lights by Jason Aufdem-Brinke, sound design by Mike Winch, composition by Amy Bormet, technical direction by Jamiee Fricklas, set by Matt Reckeweg, costuming by Lee Gerstenhaber, dramaturgy by Keith Hock, graphic design by Todd Hilgert. ABOUT WE HAPPY FEW Founded in 2012, We Happy Few’s mission is to rediscover and reimagine classic stories that challenge, illuminate, and charm audiences. We Happy Few has established itself as one of Washington, DC’s best small theater companies (City Paper, 2021; the DCist, 2015) by nurturing a creative environment that thrives on ensemble collaborations with some of the nation’s most promising emerging theater artists. WHF’s flagship production of a six-actor, 90-minute HAMLET premiered at the 2012 Capital Fringe Festival to great acclaim, exploring the idea that the entire play unfolded in the title character’s mind. WHF’s 2017 production of HENRY V was hailed as “a fascinating, resonant, and important new take on a known work” (Broadway World). We Happy Few earned its first Helen Hayes Recommendation with 2018’s PERICLES, and has earned Helen Hayes nominations for 2019’s LOVERS’ VOWS and 2023’s KILL THE RIPPER. R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), presented by We Happy Few, performs October 31-November 16 at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th St SE, Washington, DC 20003. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with additional showings on Wednesday, October 30, Monday, November 4, Wednesday, November 13 and matinees on Saturday November 9 and 16. All performances begin at 7:00PM except for Saturday matinees, which begin at 2:30PM. Tickets are $25 and available online.