Geeks to Whales: Can Devolution Be Progress?

Evolutionary biology has somehow become controversial.

Sets and video design by Jim Findlay. Patricia Buckley as Minnie, one of the characters she portrays in “Evolution.” Photo © Russ Rowland

Darwinism battles creationism in "Evolution" at 59E59 Theaters through May 20th.

Minnie is overmedicated and living with her mother. Minnie was the bright sister, but it's Pammy whose career as an evolutionary biologist has made her the family star in "Evolution."

All three women, and Minnie's nurse Sherry, are intelligently played by Patricia Buckley, who is also the author of this funny and poignant new play.

Patricia Buckley is Pammy, an evolutionary biologist, one of the characters she portrays in “Evolution.” Photo © Russ Rowland

Sea mammals, as Pammy drolly lectures, can only be explained as land animals regressing back into the ocean. Minnie, whose name teases the word minnow, seems to be drawn to water. She may be a victim of devolution and the sea.

Jim Findlay's sets and video designs for "Evolution." project dynamic marine scenes, enhancing the production.

Meanwhile, downtown on Here's stage, the New York Neo-Futurists present "You Are In An Open Field" on Thursdays -Saturdays through May 19th.

Steven A. French and Cherylynn Tsushima. Photo © Anton Nickel Marta (Marta Rainer) in "You Are In An Open Field" has a similar compulsion to Minne in "Evolution" for breathing under water. Marta is one of the geeks riffing on game theory in this musical slash video game entertainment.

"You Are In An Open Field" is written and performed by Kevin R. Free (Kevin), Marta Rainer and Adam Smith (Adam) and Eevin Hartsough. Rounding out the cast are Steven A. French (Actor) and Cherylynn Tsushima (Dancer) who add to the air of absurdity and whimsy. Music is created by the Neo-Futurists' frequent collaborator Carl Riehl who leads a live hip hop band. Christopher Dippel directs this off-beat and amusing theatrical event. To download tracks from the New York Neo-Futurists new musical "You Are In An Open Field" go to SoundCloud. Two songs, "I'm The Boss" and "Do It," are available on SoundCloud at the direct link http://soundcloud.com/ny-neo-futurists/sets/music-from-you-are-in-an-open. Visit www.59e59.org for a schedule for "Evolution."

To find out more about "You Are In An Open Field", visit www.here.org