The Summerland Project
The Summerland Project is a play and movie both written by Rob Merritt, about a dying woman who is having her mind put into an artificial body.
Plot
Amelia and Carter Summerland are a newly married couple. Amelia has an aneurysm and becomes locked in. Carter is approached by a corporation who would like to use Amelia as a test subject, for a procedure where they will copy her personality and memories into an android body.[1]
The themes of The Summerland Project have been compared to Pygmalion, Blade Runner (and its source material Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), Frankenstein, and The Monkey's Paw.[2][3] The story raises questions about the nature of humanity.
Play
The play was initially produced as part of the Theatre Cedar Rapids Underground New Play Festival in 2011. It then again appeared as a TCR mainstage production in 2013.[4] Subsequently the play was performed at the Olathe Civic Theatre in Kansas City, Kansas.[5] [6]
Film
| The Summerland Project | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Adam Orton |
| Written by | Rob Merritt |
| Produced by | Alex Levine, Enrico Natale |
| Starring | Ben Whitehair, Ed Begley Jr., Chris Ellis, Eddie Jemison, Kate Vernon, Debra Wilson, Kamar de los Reyes, Angela Billman |
| Cinematography | Camrin Petramale |
| Edited by | Izaak Levison-Share |
Production company | More Productions |
Filming for the movie version began on September 16, 2014 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The film version features Ben Whitehair, Ed Begley Jr., Chris Ellis, Eddie Jemison, Kate Vernon, Debra Wilson, Kamar de los Reyes, as well as Angela Billman reprising the role of Amelia Summerland that she performed in the 2013 stage version.[7][8] The film version is being directed by Adam Orton.[9] The film is targeted for release for the 2016 film festival season. The film had a budget of $1.2 million.[10]
External links
- play website
- movie facebook
- movie website
- The Summerland Project at IMDb
- The Summerland Project Pelicula Trailer
References
- ^ "Iowa Theatre: Summerland is riveting and thought provoking". iowatheatre.blogspot.com.
- ^ "REVIEW: Flawless 'Summerland Project' takes viewers into brave new world". Hoopla.
- ^ "Iowa Theatre: Powerful Summerland Project asks tough questions". iowatheatre.blogspot.com.
- ^ "Iowa Theatre: Summerland Project Promises to be Visually and Emotionally Stunning". iowatheatre.blogspot.com.
- ^ http://olathetheatre.org/Performance.aspx?EventID=81
- ^ Bob Evans. "Computer, medical technology collide with sci-fi, 'The Summerland Project'". AXS. Archived from the original on 8 June 2015.
- ^ http://www.cbs2iowa.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/summerland-project-begins-filming-cr-29936.shtml
- ^ "Iowa resets efforts to attract media productions". kcrg.
- ^ "Independent film crew seeks Iowa actors". KCCI. 9 November 2015.
- ^ "Newstrack: 'Summerland' film, nurtured in Cedar Rapids, almost ready for its close-up". The Gazette.