Story

After a bio-apocalyptic event causes widespread mutation, a military research unit conducts physical stress trials on those deemed most altered, under the observation of an external oversight committee required to witness the research.

As the experiments escalate, the infected adapt faster than expected…control flips, and those who were once the test subjects become the experimenters.

The lab researchers and soldiers will soon occupy the restraints they once operated, and the oversight committee—formerly protected—is left exposed to who or whatever now runs the trials.

Throughout the show, the infected, once deemed weak, evolve becoming stronger, more confident, more aggressive, seeking revenge.

In Part 1 - Each main act is framed as a baseline capability test, with scientists watching and documenting, while soldiers are protecting the audience (the oversight committee). Each apparatus in the Part 1 is a recognizable, traditional circus apparatus (trapeze, lyra, cyr wheel, etc), representing the controlled, conventional, lab environment. 

At the end of Part 1, a scientist is killed by a group of mutants – the control flips.

Intermission -  The control systems begin to break down. Mutants are slowly released.

In Part 2 - Each main act are the mutants performing retaliatory ‘tests’ on the scientists and soldiers. Ideally, these would be on non-traditional apparatuses (fire hose, umbrella, street lamp), whatever the mutants can find, whatever they can get their hands on, for revenge. These non-traditional apparatuses represent the chaos and unpredictability of the mutants.

  • Mutant test subjects in Part One, scientists, and soldiers are in view while the audience (aka the oversight committee/observers). Mutants are visibility restrained throughout the space. Scientists are doing their work, checking on their test subjects and making notes. The soldiers, acting as a barrier to the mutants, are ensuring that the oversight committee/observers (the audience) are protected prior and during the test trials.

    Over the speakers, a pre-recorded voice welcomes the oversight committee/observers and explains where the bathrooms and exits are.

  • Opening act - short acro with scientists and soldiers?
    TBD

  • Lyra/Aerial Hoop - Mae

    • (horror element?)

    • Survives the field test and is returned to restraints with some resistance.

    Message to audience: everything is under control

  • Duo Dance Trapeze - Nona + Ashley

    • Conjoined twins?

      • At some point (before/during/after), their bodies are slowly pulled away from each other, with a sticky, icky slime between where they were once connected. (horror element)

        • If possible, keep alluding to/teasing the oversight committee/observers that you are trying to tear away from each other building up the anticipation.

    • Both survive testing? Maybe one dies and the other goes mad (to subjected to more testing later)?

    Message to audience: things are just starting to get out of control.

  • Cyr Wheel - Erin

    • A mutant is forced into an unorganized, chaotic test on the cyr wheel.

    • Things devolve. (horror element?)

    • The mutant survives only to be subjected to a new test later on.

    Message to audience: things are just starting to get out of control.

  • Transparent Hammock - Mindy

    • At the beginning the mutant seems weak, a goner.

    • Mutant survives past projected oxygen window.

    • Possible suffocation is the horror element.

    • Ultimately, she adapts and survives, stronger than before.

    • Nearly escapes the scientists returning her to her restraints, they need the help of soldiers.

    Message to audience: the infected are adapting and surviving.

  • Stretch fabric group acro - Erin, Nona,...?

    • Multiple mutants are inside stretchy fabric that moves, stretches, terrifies, until one of the mutants breaks through and releases the others contained inside. (horror element)

    • One (or two?) of the scientists who is(are) too close, too busy taking notes, are killed by the group of mutants, revenge killing.

      • Lights cut to black before the sound of death.

    The system has cracked/broken.

  • Scientist(s) who have been killed by the mutants is/are on display(Rigged on an aerial point (‘Silence of the Lambs’)? Displayed on the stage?) 

    Sometime during intermission, mutants (there are more than those being tested on during these trials!) are slowly released and are gathering behind screens. They will slowly be backlit creating disturbing silhouettes and making unsettling noises. Their breathing becomes heavy. They are slowly intruding the oversight committee/observers space. Some screens will be spaced behind the last row of seats just out of arms’ reach of the oversight committee/observers.

    Meanwhile some soldiers are gathered together, clearly disturbed and trying to assess the situation. A few soldiers are seen at their stations in the seating and at the cantina to protect the oversight committee/observers milling about.

    The Chinese Pole needs to be rigged during intermission by a group of mutants (if possible).

  • Split screen group acro/dance

    • The system falls apart from the beginning, soldiers and scientists are apprehended by escaped mutants. Remaining scientists are trying to protect themselves and remaining soldiers try to protect the oversight committee/observers.

      • Mutants can be behind the screen and under the stage to abduct soldiers and scientists

    • The only must have is that Max is visibly abducted in a horrifyingly way by Holly

  • Chinese Pole - Holly + Max

    • The beginning of the mutants performing their ‘tests’.

    • A mutant forcibly and torturously performing ‘tests’ on a soldier with a “street lamp”.

    Message to audience: Tables have turned, the mutants are taking control.

  • A small group of scientists (3 or 5), who are connected to each other by a tube going into/coming out of their mouths do a very short group act.

    • Forced into doing this/tortured by this by the mutants

  • Aerial Umbrella - Rebecca

    Message to audience: The audience becoming more vulnerable

  • Firehose (?) - Erica 

    • Mutants force a soldier or scientist onto a firehose

    • At this point, there is are only a couple of soldiers remaining to protect the audience

    • A fatal fall occurs (horror element?)

    Message to audience: It’s getting worse for the lab and for themselves.

  • Two mutants connected by stretchy fabric - more to come

  • Duo Aerial Silks - Kerri + Keith

    • The mutants, one in particular, decides to test whether or not they can become ‘entangled’ with the last soldier.

      • The opposite of Nona + Ashley’s act, instead of separating this is enforced conjoinment. (horror element)

      • By the end, they are somehow enmeshed together - can we make this horrifying and not silly?

    Message to audience: The last soldier has fallen, the audience is fully exposed.

  • Mutant group act

    • Chaos

    • Soldiers/scientists are all dead (bodies strewn about the place?)

    • Near the end of the act, sirens start to blare

    • At the end, mutants abscond terrorizing the audience as they escape the laboratory.

    Message to audience: Chaos has been unleashed on the outside world.