FROM THE DIRECTORS
Acting.exe is a show I started working on over two years ago, and directing it has been a deeply rewarding experience. Not only has it been a joy to watch this show move from a simple idea to a fully-fledged production, but it has also been exhilarating to work with such talented collaborators along the way.
When I began writing this show in 2023, it was a science fiction story. Now, it’s entirely grounded in reality. The recent introduction of Tilly Norwood, the world’s first AI actor, signals a change that will have lasting effects on the media industry. In principle, I’m not entirely against AI. I believe that it certainly has its uses, especially in the mundane tasks that add little value to our lives. However, I also believe that art is meant to be an expression of human ideas, and that’s something that AI will never be able to replicate.
However, at its core, this show isn’t truly about AI. It’s about the human connections that are so necessary in a world that’s becoming increasingly saturated with new technology.
Enjoy the show!
Andrew Lindsay
In the fall of 2023, I met someone. She told me things I’ve never heard before—she unlocked an inexplicable empathy inside me. Her confidence in me drives me every day to unlock that same empathy in as many people as possible. Thus, Just Breathe was born.
As I wrote Just Breathe over the past two years, I knew I had to get it just right. Honestly, I was ashamed of the script I produced. It wasn’t enough. However, throughout this entire process, Just Breathe has revealed itself to be greater and greater than what I expected. Actors found very strong (unforeseen) beats, designers found amazing ideas, and I found that if I simply listened, the words I wrote myself had some beautiful things to say.
I encourage you, well-read audience member, to trust that something is going on under the hood of Just Breathe, and also under the hoods of those sitting around you. I’m not only talking about those in the audience tonight. Everyone has an inhaler.
Enjoy the show!
Just breathe—it’s going to be ok,
Owen Butler
