Exemption Directive, 2126
It’s June 18, 2126, the day Nora Mai, an artificial life form, is about to be shut down by government order because her youngest child, Mats, has turned twenty-one. The family no longer qualifies for government-sponsored services by maternal autonomous interface (MAI). Once deregistered, Nora Mai will be put out for recycling. Nora Mai is the only mother they have ever known and siblings Thena and Mats go into action to save her life.
The “exemption directive” is a policy response by the government when children object to the deregistration of their MAIs. Mats makes the last-minute application for the exemption and Thena has her alter-ego, the superhero Autofus, drop in on Administrator, a senior bureaucrat with the agency Foundling Sanctuary Services that’s behind deregistration. He just happens to be a huge fan of superheroes and is suddenly sympathetic to the family’s plight. Administrator pulls some strings and the exemption is granted just in time. Except Nora Mai has her own plans.
Themes and issues
Childcare in the future, maternal love, parenthood, aging, siblings, artificial intelligence, big tech, superhero, surveillance culture, liberal authoritarianism.
Production history
This play has not yet been produced.
Genre
Science fiction, tragedy, drama, political.
Acts and run time
One act, approximately 10 minutes.
Cast
Four actors (2 women, 1 man, 1 non-binary or any gender). Roles may be cast with actors of any race.
Note on playing Nora Mai as an artificial life form
Nora Mai is a maternal autonomous interface, a MAI, an artificial human who presents as a mid-forties woman that is virtually indistinguishable from a human mom. Her programing directs her to perform the maternal duties of a loving mother dedicated to managing every aspect of the lives of her children Thena and Mats until they reach the age of twenty-one.
Note on an almost bare set
This play can be presented on a bare stage with three separate spaces lit by spotlights as needed. Or it may be a full set with partitions. Lighting is used to bring characters into the story. Otherwise they are in darkness or absent.
The background in each character’s space reflects their preoccupations and personalities. Depending on production resources, it can be very simple with only a few essential items, largely theatrical and symbolic not realistic.
Performance rights
You may download a perusal copy of this copyrighted play for review. Performance rights inquiries to the playwright at rights@rbws.ca or the Playwrights Guild of Canada at playwrightsguild.ca.
I’m a self-represented playwright so I generally handle rights inquiries for my plays myself. You don’t need to deal with the big guys (you know who they are). You just reach out to me and we’ll start the process and get it done very quickly. If you’re used to dealing with the Playwrights Guild of Canada already, they’re terrific too, so go talk with them because they can administer rights for all my plays.
If you’re a drama teacher working with students and not selling tickets or making money with one of my plays, then I ask for production photos in lieu of royalties. It starts with an email to me. Then we figure it out.
spookyb 