"The Urmetazoan," a Play About Two Sisters and a Move to Mars Premieres at Barrington Stage
Alex Rugman's drama is having its North American premiere in Pittsfield.
Through October 25 | Pittsfield, MA
Barrington Stage Company Stages the North American premiere of Alex Rugman's The Urmetazoan at the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, 36 Linden Street. It runs through October 25. The play's world premiere opened at Hampstead Theatre in London on September 18 so the same new play is on stage on both sides of the Atlantic at once. Artistic Director Alan Paul says that's rare. "It's not often I can say that a new play is onstage in London and Pittsfield at the same time," he says.
The setup is two sisters in the not-too-distant future. One is about to leave Earth to live on Mars, and the other faces being left behind. "Think about someone you love whom you wish you could reach," Paul writes. "Now imagine that distance stretching across space." The sisters have been estranged for seven years, reuniting in a Florida bungalow. The play takes its title from the urmetazoan, the hypothetical last common ancestor of all animals.
Jack Serio, a Massachusetts native making his Barrington Stage debut, directs. Serio is a Boston-born, New York-based director best known for the 2023 Off-Broadway revival of Uncle Vanya, staged in a Flatiron loft and nominated for Drama Desk Awards.
Julia Chan plays Alice, the sister heading to Mars. Chan is a British actor who grew up between Hong Kong and the U.K. and studied at Harvard and The New School for Drama. She played Dr. Maggie Lin for several seasons on the Canadian TV series Saving Hope. Francesca Carpanini plays Abigail. Her Broadway credits include The Little Foxes and All My Sons, and she appeared in the 2025 film A House of Dynamite. Justin Mark also apears, with Beatrix Flynn-Powell and Lyla Randall playing the younger version of Abigail and Alice.
Rugman is a graduate of Hampstead's INSPIRE program for emerging playwrights.
Performances are Wednesdays and Fridays at 7pm, Thursdays and Saturdays at 2:30pm and 7pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm, through the closing matinee on Sunday, October 25. A Deeper Look discussion is Saturday, October 10 at 11am, and an Aftershow conversation is set for October 14. The play is part of the company's "New Works Series," sponsored by Roxanne & Scott Bok.
St. Germain Stage, Barrington Stage Company, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield, MA. Tickets at barringtonstageco.org or 413-242-6411.
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After a decade of writing for RI (along with many other publications and organizations) Jamie took over as editor in 2025. He has a masters in journalism from NYU, a wonderful wife, two kids and a Carolina dog named Zelda.
