St. James Academy is proud to present the world premier production of “Reset”, an original play by Corbin Hernandez. 

This science fiction thriller takes place in an alternate version of 2006 where a group of Americans emancipated themselves from the United States to start their own colony and raise “Generation One”: the first generation of kids without trauma. Braham - not your average teenage boy - wakes up one day to discover that his girlfriend is missing and that he can’t remember most of the previous day. He will stop at nothing to unravel the truth behind a massive conspiracy involving the memories of hundreds of teenagers being erased by their parents. 

Looking for the playlist of the music we used for the show? Sound Designer Jake Deane has created a Spotify Playlist for you, and it's right here! https://open.spotify.com/user/j_deane_/playlist/3v06OChy8lFlmPfLNENI5X?si=eVNtWiX8Tjaf189Ejbg8MA

From the Director:

Welcome to the nation of the Emancipated State circa 2006! We have cut off America since 1980 which may explain the culture and technology, but we are creating a prosperous nation without the traumas of everyday life. Utilizing Reset technology we find ourselves in the midst of our first generation in high school. In regards to the timeline of this script, I feel Jean-Luc Godard got it right, “A story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end, but not necessarily in that order.”

We have had a unique opportunity this year in creating the world imagined by our own Corbin Hernandez which explores the idea of correcting your mistakes as a parent, protecting what you love, who you trust, and the experiences that make you who you are. This show explores themes central to this performing arts department -- it’s not about your technology, but the stories you can tell. Our protagonist has to work to solve his own mystery and his make his own decisions about what his identity is. As the plot unfolds, I hope you take time to see the personal story each actor has personified on the stage.

    This is the world premiere of “Reset”. The actors and directing team welcome you to observe the monumental task they have tackled. An evolving script, creating a world from scratch and exemplifying realistic characters that have their own thoughts, feelings and objectives. All while setting it in the round, as you can see, there are no places for our actors to hide. The many locations in this show will be created using our improvisational skills, tech and props.

On a personal note, I would be remiss not to mention that I LOVE a good science fiction story; aside from the scripts, my bookshelf is filled with Douglas Adams, Ray Bradbury, Robert A. Heinlein and (some would say) too many copies of “1984”. However, my real passion as a director is analyzing the humanity within the story, beneath the layers of exciting technology and dystopia. The actors have been on this journey with me, finding the deep human emotions and struggles of these characters and I applaud the amazing work they have done. Every rehearsal is another breakthrough for these young actors and a blessing for me to witness as a director.

I wish to personally thank Corbin for his willingness to collaborate on such a project, allowing me to pick through his words with a fine-tooth comb. It’s never easy to give over creative control of a script, I hope we do your words and characters justice. Second, to the actors and tech that came in to rehearsals every day willing to work; to give a little bit more so we could do what hasn’t been done before, I wholeheartedly thank you. And finally to you, dear reader, for being here and going through this journey with us tonight to glorify God. Amen.

Alexa Cioffi-Abt

Director

From the Playwright:

Two summers ago I was building sets in the scorching hot sun at Theatre in the Park. I was listening to an audiobook about parenting and I was suddenly hit with an idea that I could not shake. Parenting is very hard - what if we could get redos on mistakes that we’ve made? That idea grew and changed and transformed over the almost-two-years it has taken to write this play, and where I ended up is a very different place than where I started.    Where I ended up is more a story about pain, love, and trust. All of these things are involved in parenting, but I like to think this play speaks more to these themes abstractly than to parenting, necessarily.

I don’t want to give too much away. I also want to let you, wise audience member, think for yourself. But I will elaborate further on what you’re about to see and why it looks and sounds the way that it does.

I’ve always been a fan of science fiction, mysteries, and thrillers. What has begun to hit me more and more as the years go by about GOOD science fiction is simply that it puts a cool and captivating face on top of deeply human stories. Could I have written a story about pain, love, and trust centered around a teenager and his troubled relationship with his parents and friends just set in a modern day time and place? Well, sure. But what about setting it in an alternate version of 2006 where a culture has emancipated itself from the freedoms of the United States of America - where their culture and technology is trapped in the 80’s and they regularly use medical technology that erases memories? Take away the bells and whistles of GOOD science fiction and you should have a deeply human story - but it’s the bells and whistles that get me the most excited every time!

    So enjoy the bells and whistles of the science fiction mystery that I’ve written. I hope it’s a thrilling and fun theatrical experience for you. It’s been a wild ride for me; God took me on quite the journey with this whole process. May all things glorify Him forever, Amen!

    One last thing. To my friend, Tim Wuebker: You’ve been there since almost the beginning. You’ve heard every version and every draft of every outline. You were the guy behind me pushing me onward and cheering loudly. I dedicate this play to you, friend. May our friendship and collaboration continue on to many more novels and plays!

Corbin Hernanez

Playwright