Atomic Dog addresses planned obsolescence in the internet age. Ian, an AI, emcees the action, which is played to the Dog and projected on a screen behind the performers, intercut with appropriate backgrounds and prerecorded video sequences. Ian's monologues about the history and development of the internet intercut with scenes from the Dog's life. NeRo, an AI protopet trained by its hapless inventor as a guard dog, resides in Tarper Valley, a company town gradually overtaken by the anthropomorphic robots it manufactures. As the house is overrun by newer and newer versions of its master, NeRo becomes increasingly confused, ultimately breaking down in an attempt to follow its instructions. Beware of Dog?
IAN - An AI (gender neutral, any age, tessitura within the staff, a guitar or banjo-playing folksinger who also plays Bill v. 1)
THE DOG - a gender neutral, any age dancer/mime wearing a live-streaming device inside a dog mask, tessitura within the staffBILL WATSON, et al. - Ruby's companion, including subsequent incarnations (2 actors +), does not sing
RUBY WATSON, et al. - Bill's companion, including subsequent incarnations (2 actors +), does not sing
TARPER VILLAGE PDA - a gentle, monotone voice over (may sing as voice over, tessitura within the staff)
ENSEMBLE - Neighbors 1 & 2, Workers, Bicyclist, Wait(e)r(ess), Delivery Person, Boss (gender neutral, any age, do not sing)
NOTES ON CASTING - The Dog and Ian should have roughly the same build as it must be credible that the one might transform into/be revealed as the other. Bill and Ruby should be age contemporaries; their doppelganger versions should probably be cast with equivalently-shaped people. All roles should otherwise be cast in a manner that reflects age, race, and gender diversity
Guitar or Banjo, to be played by Ian