A robot yearns to live a normal, human life… but it can only say what the audience texts in.
That’s right: throughout the whole show, the ONLY words coming out of its mouth are the ones you send from your cell phone. The audience members are the scriptwriters for the main character, in real-time.
Hilarity ensues as the main character is piloted in a hundred different directions, all while trying to navigate the drama of family life, workplaces, and more.
Will you help it navigate the ups and downs of human existence? Or just try to get it to say whatever funny things you come with? And if you’re not the texting type and just want to sit back and watch the story and wild antics unfold, hey, you can do that too. You can experience the show however the heck you want.
SOMETHING FROM NOTHING
Joining our robot on stage is a cast of very talented and funny actors. Not only do they have to put up with a main character who’s gone rogue and is being piloted in a hundred different directions, they also work with your texts to create a completely original story on the spot.
No two shows are alike. Will we see a rom com between a beekeeper and exterminator? An underdog sports story about a former pickleball champion? It all depends on where your texts and the actors take the story. Anything can happen— there’s no script! Even the musical score is completely made up.
texting while
driving (the show)
In most other improv shows, the loudest voice in the audience is often the only one getting their suggestions in. But that isn’t the case here— the use of cell phones means the playing field is even for everyone.
And we know most people would rather be placed in a coffin full of spiders than get on stage. That’s the other great thing: you get to contribute and participate in the show from the comfort of your own seat.
Texting is purely optional but it is fun, especially when one of your lines make it in. Maybe you’ll even win Best Text of the Night!
SEE IT IN ACTION
The best way to see this show is, of course, in person. But we know you’re really busy right now so here’s a video clip of what can happen when everyone in the audience has complete control over what comes out of a story’s main character.
ABout us
John Hilsen
Creator, Director
John is the Music Director for the hit stage show HYPROV, an improv comedy production created by and regularly starring comedy legend Colin Mochrie (“Whose Line Is It Anyway?”). He has performed with HYPROV on over two hundred tour shows across North America, as well as extended residencies in both Off-Broadway NYC and Las Vegas. The New Yorker praised John for his performance in HYPROV, writing “John Hilsen’s keyboard accompaniment is itself a feat of improvisation.”John also brings his world class musical abilities to The Life Robotic, creating cinematic scores on the spot to accompany the comedic and dramatic antics.
John has a passion for experiences that are equally fun, inclusive, and absurd. It’s that passion that led to the creation of The Life Robotic.
Michael Rogers
Principal Cast, Associate Director
A tireless actor, director, and creator, Michael is constantly working the worlds of both scripted and unscripted theater.
In The Life Robotic, Michael uses his acting prowess as the robot to deliver the audience’s texts with gravitas, emotion, and impeccable comedic ability. He says each line as if it’s something he’s rehearsed a hundred times.