By: Darryl Reilly
“I am the one percent…I control the lives of the meaningless…I am The Pharoh…” icily intones an ominous namless American CEO when justifying his 250-million-dollar annual salary in playwright Richard Vetere’s eerie Beyond Pluto. This Twilight Zone-style theatrical dystopian vignette is realized by Mr. Vetere’s characteristic punchy dialogue, precisely delineated characters, and command of narrative.
Leo and Emma are a young recently unemployed backpack-wearing couple who are on a self-discovery trek à la Lost in America. Their Route 66-type journey finds them in a desert where Emma has had visions of a mirage-like figure pursuing them. He turns out to actually be a malevolent captain of industry who taunts them with their irrelevance and his supremacy during a Shavian-style dark exchange.
Vetere spins out his contemporary curdled American Dream scenario through force, suspense, and momentum. He also plays the CEO with dry humor, strategic detachment, and his beaming stage presence.
The lean, lanky, and long-haired Jake McMichael offers a soulful characterization of Leo. Visually and vocally Mr. McMichael palpably conveys youthful free spiritedness. Animated Anita Moreno with her wide eyes and expressive voice is poignant as the idealistic Emma. Ms. Moreno and McMichael’s intense rapport is even more laudatory considering that they recently replaced previously announced cast members on short notice.
Two black wooden cubes on the black-accented otherwise bare stage get a lot of use by director Amber Brookes whose active physical staging includes vivid stage pictures, crisp action, and minute placement of the actors. The piece’s otherworldly dimension is enhanced by unsettling sound effects, blaring electronic music, and flickering overhead blue lights.
The enigmatic and queasy Beyond Pluto is presented by Off-Broadway’s Chain Theatre as part of their 2026 Summer One-Act Festival. Bodega Cat by Melvin Ningyao Yen and Bodega Cat by Dina Zhanybekova complete this program.
Beyond Pluto (July 29, July 31, August 1, 2026)
2026 Summer One-Act Festival Program #28
Chain Theatre, 312 West 36th Street, in Manhattan
For tickets, visit www.chaintheatre.org
Running time: 15 minutes