SPF 14: High Maintenance

Thursday, July 13th @ 8:00 PM PST
Written By Peter Ritt
Directed By Victoria Hoffman

An unfairly disgraced actor makes her comeback in Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” – opposite a robot that may bring about the end of the acting profession. “High Maintenance” raises questions about the relationship between art and AI, and how the status quo can turn both against each other, but really it’s just funny. After all, a robot built to act is “the product of theatre and big tech, an ego is inevitable.”

Peter Ritt is a Chicago based writer/comedian, and is a graduate of The Second City Conservatory, Improv Olympic, and Annoyance Theatre Training programs; as well as a past ensemble member at The Under The Gun Theatre, and a writer for The Artists’ Lab. He graduated with a double-major in Theatre and English from Marquette University in 2010 and has been writing plays since high school. His one-act, “The Ritual,” was selected for a staged reading at the Southeast Texas Festival of New Plays in 2019. His full-length play, “Spencer: The Seven-Year-Old Boy That Went to Hell” was a finalist for the Garry Marshall Theatre New Works Festival in 2019. His full-length play, “The Convict and The Kids” was a finalist in the Screen Craft 2020 Stage Play Competition, and his full-length play, “High Maintenance” was a semifinalist in the same contest in 2022.

Victoria Hoffman Is thrilled to be directing for the gang at The Road! Resident CD at Rogue Machine Theatre. Recent credits include Come Get Maggie & On The Other Hand We’re Happy (LADCC Winner Best production). Elsewhere – For the Love of a Glove at The Carl Sagan & Ann Druyan Theater; Kiss of the Spider Woman at A Noise Within; Judas Kiss & A Streetcar Named Desire for Boston Court. Film projects include the AFI Thesis films Zenaida (LAAPFF Official Selection) and The Fishmonger; Dog Lover at the DTLA Film Festival (among many). Currently Manager of Casting at the AFI Conservatory. Directing Credits include two seasons of The Blank Theatre’s YPF & Living Room Series, Hollywood Fringe Fest, Rogue Machine’s Around the Clock Plays. Acting credits include Julius Weezer for the Troubies, Sonneteer at the LA LGBT Ctr, and TV pop ups in Abbot Elementary and The Shrink Next Door. www.victoriahoffman.com @VicHoffmanLA

“High Maintenance”

Laura Miller – Verity Branco*
Roger – Stephen Tyler Howell*
Lex Steele – Timothy Davis-Reed*
Vera Osborne – Liz Herron*
Gus Ziegler – Amir Levi*
Sam – Tally McCormack*
Thesbot Prime/Reporters/Stage Directions – Dor Gvirtsman

*Road Company Member