UNCANNY VALLEY Opens Next Month at Pear Theatre

At the close of the year, Pear Theatre looks to the near future with Thomas Gibbons' "Uncanny Valley," a play about a synthetic being during the slow process of becoming a human analogue. Mixing humor with heartache, the show explores the painful divide between creator and creation, the inherent unpredictability of consciousness, and how we are redefining what it means to be human in the twenty-first century. "Uncanny Valley," directed by Caroline Clark, previews on January 19. Press and Opening Night is Friday, January 20, followed by a champagne gala. The show runs Thursdays through Sundays, through February 12. All performances are held at the Pear Theatre, 1110 La Avenida St., Mountain View. Tickets ($10-$35) can be purchased by visiting www.thepear.org or calling (650) 254-1148.

"We are located in the tech epicenter of the world where consciousness and humanity are extremely topical," said director Clark. "Silicon Valley innovators are working on nanorobotics in medicine, drone deliveries, and Artificial Intelligence software. Just this year, the National Institute of Health proposed a new policy which would allow researchers to receive federal funds to make part human, part animal embryos. We're also entering a time when we're able to create this idealized "other" self with the use of social media and virtual and augmented reality. Our humanity and sense of self are is being redefined at a rate that is hard to keep up with."

"Uncanny valley" is a computer industry term, referring to a sense of unease when a computer-generated figure, or humanoid robot, appears almost - but not 'quite' - human. The Washington Post called "Uncanny Valley" "fascinating ... cerebrally challenging. The questions the play raises - can, for instance, a robot's consciousness attain a level of sophistication that qualifies as sentience? - compel one to consider whether like the Tin Man, a manufactured being might actually someday possess a heart".

Pear Theatre's production features Mary Price Moore as Clarie, a seasoned neuroscientist in her seventies, and Evan Kokkila Schumacher as Julian, an artificial male in his thirties.

Pear Theatre began as the Pear Avenue Theatre in June 2002, under the leadership of Artistic Director Diane Tasca, by a group of theatre artists who believe that audiences are eager for plays that challenge as well as delight and move them. Pear Theatre produces intimate theatre by passionate artists, whether classic works or cutting-edge plays. Now in its fifteenth season, The Pear attracts theatre artists and audience from all over the Bay Area for its award-winning and high-quality productions; and last year The Pear's ongoing commitment to excellence was recognized by the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle with the Paine Knickerbocker Award, an annual special award for a Bay Area company contributing to the high quality of theatre in the region.

Pear Theatre moved in 2015 from its original 40-seat warehouse space to a new, state-of-the-art black box theatre close by, with capacity of 75-99 seats depending on the configuration of the production. This exciting move allows The Pear to continue its tradition of intimate theatre while taking on new challenges and opportunities.

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