Photo by Mike Peters
Premiere Stages at Kean is now presenting a new play, Satellites. Written by Erin Breznitsky, Satellites is the winner of the 2022 Premiere Play Festival. This play features a unique story enhanced through strong staging including projections on a large back screen which helps emphasize the role of outer space to the plot. Additionally, sound, lighting, and scenic design add to the strength of the production as the story unfolds.
Prepare yourself to see an adventure that captures your imagination as two people experience a difficult situation that tests their love and relationship with each other.
The cast has two people who turn in fine performances that extend the adventure of the story. Terrell Wheeler plays Captain Mike Turner and Ellyn Heald plays Dr. Katherine Sparks. All of the action falls upon these two people and they are up to the task.
Good direction of the play is by Premiere Stages Producing Artistic Director, John J. Wooten. His direction brings in that staging that allows the audience to feel immersed in the drama as it unfolds. In press notes, Mr. Wooten stated the following about the show:
“This exciting new production is the first time Premiere Stages will be incorporating a three projection set up into a design. Erin’s approach provides an innovative and seamless exploration of the unknown limits of time and space.”
John J. Wooten
The Story of Satellites
The story uses a series of scenes that show present day and flashbacks of Katherine and Mike’s early life. It opens in present day than flashes back to the past. Then another present day scene is shown followed by another flashback and thus a pattern of action develops.
Many of the flashbacks show how Katherine and Mike met and began their lives together. She is a scientist studying climate change and he is an astronaut. They have two children together before Mike answers the call to travel on a what starts out to be a two week space mission.
The space mission is going well but suddenly Mike’s shuttle vanishes in outer space. There is no contact with him and search missions take place. Eventually, the search ends and Mike is assumed to be dead.
Katherine continues her life alone, raising their children and continuing her life’s work. She uses a Radio Shack signaling device to say things to her missing husband hoping that maybe the signal will be picked up. One day, Mike is found by the wreckage of a crash in South America. However, he has no memory of what happened to him. As the couple reunites, the play focuses on their relationship as they try to decide if they can continue as a married couple.
You will need to draw your own conclusions at the end as to whether or not they have enough love and a relationship to continue their marriage. The play gives you enough to think about, both pros and cons, as to where they are headed in the future.
Is it Sci-Fi or a More Traditional Play or Both?
One could argue that playwright Erin Breznitsky’s play is in the Sci-Fi category.After all, where was Mike for those seven years? Was he in outer space all that time? Or was he transported to another time or dimension? Satellites does not analyze those concepts. It probably does not need to do that.
Instead, Satellites attempts to answer questions of what happens to people who love each other when they are separated for a very long period of time especially with no contact. Can they continue their relationship when so many issues remain unanswered? People change over a period of time and how relevant are those changes to what a relationship had been? Does love overcome these concerns? This play attempts to give insights into these questions.
Performance Run and Tickets
Satellites runs July 13-July 30 in the Bauer Boucher Theatre Center on the Kean University main campus in Union, N.J. Performances take place Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 pm, Saturdays at 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 3:00 pm.
Tickets are $35 standard, $25 for senior citizens and Kean alumni and staff, $20 for patrons with disabilities and $15 for students. Significant discounts for groups of ten or more apply.
To purchase tickets or to make inquire, call the box office at 908-737-7469 or visit premierestagesatkean.com/shows/Satellites/
Going to the Theater
This show offers a nice opportunity for affordable entertainment this summer. There is no need to worry about the heat because the facility is nicely air-conditioned. Additionally, there is free parking very close to the entrance way.
All Premiere Stages facilities are fully accessible spaces, and companion seating is available for patrons with disabilities. Assistive listening devices and large print playbills are available at every performance.
Sign language interpretation performances are available upon request; please call 908-737-4077 at least two weeks prior to your desired performance. For more information, please visit Premiere Stages online at premierestagesatkean.com.
The area around the theater has a number of good spots to get a meal or a snack. One of my favorite spots is the Mark Twain Diner which is right down Morris Avenue about 7 miles from the Bauer Boucher Theatre Center. The food is good and the service is very helpful and friendly.
