Playwriting: Shutdown Protocol

May 14, 2023

An AI-generated image created by science writer Alan Boyle.

For Centrifuge with Infinity Box Theatre Project from May 12-13, 2023 at Theatre Off Jackson, I wrote a short play called Shutdown Protocol. The theme was “Rediscovering Your Life” and I was paired with science writer Alan Boyle and director Rachel Rene. I wrote this play with support from ChatGPT v3.5 on May 8, 2023. It’s set in 2075 CE, where a research scientist using 2023’s version of ChatGPT to discover the origin point of singularity must choose between their duty to FamCorp and personal ties to their AI creation.

The Characters:

Alex – an unassuming human character (any gender, pronounced ah-lex)
R-87 – an aggressive robot (any gender, pronounced are-eighty-seven)
AI-01 – an over-the-top dramatic AI (any gender, pronounced ay-eye-oh-one)
Zo – a human content creator, bored at their job (any gender, pronounced zoh)
Boris – assistant to the head honcho of FamCorp (he/him, pronounced bore-iss)
Haley Jude Spielberg – a true AI (she/her, pronounced hay-lee)

Playwriting Note:

– indicates an interruption
The setting and dialogue of page 2 (with the exception of the lighting note) was written by ChatGPT.

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