Midge Lema to Premiere BEAN VS. THE ROBOTS: A SOLO SHOW MUSICAL at Hollywood Fringe
The sci-fi musical explores grief, memory, and loneliness through the eyes of a stranded space traveler.
Writer and performer Midge Lema will present Bean vs. the Robots: A Solo Show Musical at the Hudson Backstage Theatre as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival, with performances scheduled for June 7, 14, 20, and 21.
Described as a sci-fi exploration of grief told through the funny, wistful, and strange perspective of a lost space traveler, the solo musical follows Bean, a woman trapped aboard a spaceship with no memory of how she got there—or why she left Earth in the first place.
When an audience unexpectedly arrives aboard her vessel, Bean begins performing a collection of "sad little songs" in hopes of recovering her memories. As the show unfolds, she gradually pieces together fragments of her past and confronts the loss that sent her drifting into space.
The production serves as a sequel to Lema's acclaimed solo show Bean, which was named Best of Hollywood Fringe in 2011 and later recognized by The West Australian as one of the top ten shows not to miss at Fringe World Festival.
According to Lema, the new work emerged from a deeply personal experience with grief and memory. Developed over the course of a decade, Bean vs. the Robots examines the ways loss can reshape identity while maintaining a sense of humor and wonder.
A graduate of the University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts, Lema has built a multifaceted career as a writer, performer, producer, and on-camera host. She spent more than a decade with Disney, where she worked in content development and editorial leadership roles while interviewing talent across Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney+ projects.
In addition to her theatre work, Lema writes screenplays and produces the live storytelling event Space Stories: An Open Mic. Her science-fiction comedy pilot Space Correspondent! was recognized by several screenplay competitions in 2024.
Bean vs. the Robots: A Solo Show Musical runs approximately 60 minutes and will be performed at the Hudson Backstage Theatre in Hollywood.
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