Most people, of course, use social-networking sites for business or innocuous fun. Others have nefarious intent. And a select few dirtbags use them to torment or even kill.
Cases in point: A Rutgers freshman killed himself after his roommate secretly filmed him kissing another man, and posted it live on the Internet.
And alleged serial killer Philip Haynes Markoff was said to have met his victims through ads they placed on Craigslist offering erotic services. He committed suicide while awaiting trial.
Live theater doesn’t often have the same “ripped from the headlines” vibe as, say, an episode of “Law & Order.” But Curious Theatre’s “Astronomical Sunset,” a new play about the fallout from a social-networking scandal, is as fresh as your Twitter feed.
“The play asks, ‘Who really does have responsibility when the founders of these social-network websites provide a forum that bad people take advantage of, and use for cruel or criminal pursuits?’ ” said director Chip Walton.
The inciting incident in Robert Lewis Vaughan’s play is an 18-year-old who posts nude pictures of his then-underage girlfriend on a Facebook-like site, and the public controversy that erupts and ruins his life. The story focuses on the impact the resulting guilt has on the website’s creator.
But is it the creator of the medium, or its users who should be accountable when something goes terribly wrong in this crazy, public, viral, Internet world of ours?
“Do people sue Jim Beam or Jack Daniels when somebody drinks and drives and kills somebody? No, they sue the driver or the bartender,” said Walton. “They don’t sue the maker any more than somebody would sue the maker of a gun if somebody uses it to kill somebody.
“There seems to be a double standard if you provide an online forum and, just because it has that very public element, then somehow you have a greater responsibility for making it than Anheuser-Busch does for making beer.”
The playwright thinks technology is numbing us. “As we get further into this century, we seem to be falling apart and growing apart rather than becoming better,” Vaughan said. “Humanity and the world is suffering for it.”
What makes “Astronomical Sunset” more than just a topical tale, Walton said, is its focus on the ensuing struggles of the founder. We don’t necessarily expect him to take on a high degree of guilt, but it sends this man spiraling.
Walton wonders what’s in store later in life for the Rutgers student whose videotaping of his roommate drove him to jump off a bridge.
It’s not that we’re necessarily more cruel today, Walton said — bullies have existed as long as playgrounds. What’s changed is the distribution of that cruelty. Instead of being taunted by a few kids in his dorm room, the boy’s closeted sexual act was broadcast to an unlimited potential audience.
Just as the photos the young man has posted with seeming oblivion in Curious’ play.
“I would imagine that (Rutgers) student is in for a long struggle with his guilt,” Walton said.
There’s a question often bandied about in college philosophy classes: If you were the inventor of auto travel, and were told then not only how your invention would advance the world, but also the number of deaths that would be incurred in them . . . would you still do it?
In “Astronomical Sunset,” the founder is haunted by that kind of question, and his marriage is threatened because of it. They’ve hidden away in a small town, trying to repair their lives. So, was it worth it?
“We all make so many decisions over the course of our lives,” Walton said. “This man’s life is held together by a thread — and once it gets pulled, and he questions what he did to this kid, then all of a sudden the whole ball of yarn comes apart. Then he starts to question all of the other decisions he’s made in his life.”
But the play, the first in a planned trilogy, is hardly an exercise in angst, he said. It turns on the unexpected appearance of two mysterious strangers who are not who they claim to be, which turns it into more of a thriller.
Which touches on another great danger of the Internet. As is captured in the new documentary “Catfish,” people also use the Internet to lie about who they are.
“It’s really a cautionary tale,” said Walton, who admits he doesn’t trust the whole social-networking phenomenon.
“I do not have a Facebook page, and I would not know how to Twitter if my life depends on it.
“But the crux of the issue is that it’s becoming easier and easier to make the private public, and the anonymity of these social-networking websites gives you a cushion against personal responsibility. It makes it easier to do an act of cruelty when you don’t have to face squarely in the eyes the damage that you may cause by doing it.”
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
To see more photos from “Astronomical Sunset,” scroll to the bottom of this page
“Astronomical Sunset”
Thriller. Presented by Curious Theatre at 1080 Acoma St. Written by Robert Lewis Vaughan. Directed by Chip Walton. Starring Brian Landis Folkins and Allison Watrous. Through Dec. 4. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. $24-$37. 303-623-0524 or
Best bet: Band of Toughs’ “Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers”
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Boulder’s Aluminous Collective, which made a splash last year with “Big Love,” returns to Denver as the awesomely named Band of Toughs. Their provocative new production, “Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers,” mixes Pierre Marivaux’s Enlightenment-era French comedy “The Double Inconstancy” with music, silent film and more. After debuting at the Denver Civic’s studio theater for three weekends (721 Santa Fe Drive, through Nov. 20), it will move to Naropa University’s Performing Arts Center in Boulder (2130 Arapahoe Ave., Dec. 9-12). 303-641-3872 or
This weekend’s other theater openings
“A Child’s Christmas in Wales” This popular stage adaptation of Dylan Thomas’ short story recalls the poet’s memories of a Christmas when he was a boy. Through Dec. 22. Miners Alley Playhouse, 1224 Washington St., Golden, 303-935-3044 or minersalley
“An Evening With Nina” In this new musical play by Hugo Jon Sayles, a small traveling band is hired to play an old juke joint outside Tryon, N.C. An overcast day a few days after the death of Nina Simone is made curious by the appearance of a mysterious woman, who weaves stories and tunes that tell of the legendary singer’s tragic and enchanting life. Through Dec. 12. Shadow Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora, 720-857-8000 or
“Feydeau and Buffalo Bill’s Imaginarium …” This family-friendly, two-part production celebrates French farce and early American theater. Part 1 is “Caught with His Trance Down,” by Georges Feydeau (“A Flea in Her Ear”), followed by a 19th-century comedy and musical variety revue directed by Edith Weiss. Through Nov. 14. Red Rocks Community College Theatre, 13300 W. Sixth Ave., Lakewood, 303-914-6458
“Getting Married” In this George Bernard Shaw comedy, a prospective bride and groom — and her family — attempt to frame a marriage contract and end up in total disagreement. Through Dec. 12. Germinal Stage-Denver, 2450 W. 44th Ave., 303-455-7108 or
“A Grand Night for Singing” An evening of songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein that includes songs from “Oklahoma,” “South Pacific,” “The King and I,” “The Sound of Music,” “Carousel” and more. Through Dec. 12. Jesters Dinner Theatre, 224 Main St., Longmont, 303-682-9980 or
“Letters to Home” A journey through the eyes of real Colorado soldiers and the letters they wrote their families while in combat. Spans the Civil War through the first Gulf War. Through Nov. 14. Byers-Evans House Theatre Company, 1310 Bannock St., 303-620-4933 or
“Mamma Mia!” Return engagement of the national touring production with a score made up entirely of ABBA songs, including “Dancing Queen,” “Take A Chance on Me” and “The Winner Takes It All.” The surprisingly cohesive story involves a mother, a daughter and three possible fathers. Through Sunday. Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100 or
“(Title of Show)” A musical about two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical. The story is centered on the new American Dream, of creation and fame in the face of the world’s overwhelming pessimism. Through Nov. 21. Presented by Gravity Defied at the Aurora Fox, 9900 E. Colfax Ave., 303-325-3959 or
“Swingtime Canteen” This high-energy song-and-dance show features music from the big-band days of the 1940s. Through Nov. 14. Presented by the Platte Valley Players at the Brighton Cultural Center, 300 Strong St., 303-481-8432 or
“Vox Phamalia: Triage” For the third straight year, Denver’s award-winning handicapped theater company presents an original comedy revue written by its own members. This is a unique, funny, yet brutally honest look at living with disabilities, written and performed by the people who do. Directed by Edith Weiss. Through Nov. 14. At the Avenue Theater, 417 E. 17th Ave., 303-575-0005 or
Complete theater listings
Go to our complete list of in Colorado, including summaries, run dates, addresses, phones and links to every company’s home page. Or check out our listings or
The Running Lines blog
Catch up on John Moore’s roundup of theater news and dialogue.
