The Motion
Playing Now Through October 12, 2025
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The MOTION

BY CHRISTOPHER CHEN
DIRECTED BY PATRICK DOOLEY

What does it mean to be human?

Welcome to Intelligence Cube​d​, a heated debate on animal testing ​that slips down a kaleidoscopic rabbit hole where the audience is not only voyeur, but accomplice.​

Equipped with voting cards, ​y​ou’ll be invited to take part in the experience as it happens on stage. With clever comedy, sharp dialogue, and surreal bursts of science fiction, The Motion creates a fractal pattern of moral dilemmas.

In this world premiere from Obie Award–winner Christopher Chen, the line between performance and participation is blurred, and the fate of two lovers hangs in the balance. In this world premiere from Obie Award–winner Christopher Chen, the line between performance and participation is blurred, and the fate of two lovers hangs in the balance.

Run time: 1 hour & 45 minutes with no intermission

Post-show Conversations: Thursdays and Sundays

Single ticket prices are different this year! Learn more about our sliding scale, $12 MAD Tickets and other discounts here.

The Motion is generously supported by a grant from The Sheri & Les Biller Family Foundation & The Kenneth Rainin Foundation the Kenneth Rainin Foundation

dates & Times
read the program
CONTENT ADVISORIES

season sponsors

Karen Elizabeth Austin
Naomi Janowitz & Andrew Lazarus
Craig & Kathy Moody
Russell Nelson
Les & Sue Polgar
Ragesh Tangri & Daralyn Durie
Bibi Tiphane
Richard & Kate West

production sponsors

Kitty Bosher
Donald Kaufman

MASKED-AUDIENCE PERFORMANCE
Sun, Oct 5

What’s THIS?
POST-SHOW CONVOS

Thursdays & Sundays
What’s THIS?
josh kornbluth

Which memories have played a role in making you who you are today?

mon, oct 6
learn more
video on demand Performance

Streaming tickets on sale October 19

preview performances

Sat, September 13
Sun, September 14
Wed, September 17
Fri, September 19

Opening night

Sat, September 20

POST-SHOW CONVOS

Thursdays & Sundays
What’s THIS?
MAD NIGHT


Thurs, Sept 25

Are you 25 or under? Don’t miss MAD Night! $12 gets you pizza, a beer (21+), or soda!

AUDIO-DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE
Sun, Sept 28

What’s THIS?
MASKED-AUDIENCE PERFORMANCE
Sun, Oct 5

What’s THIS?
josh kornbluth

Which memories have played a role in making you who you are today?

mon, oct 6
learn more
video on demand Performance

Streaming tickets on sale October 19

DIGITAL PROGRAM

SCREEN READER FRIENDLY PROGRAM (text only)

THE MOTION – Content Advisories

Shotgun Players is equally committed to presenting challenging work and taking care of our patrons.

Content advisories are a tool to help our patrons choose how they want to engage with each play. While we have tried to cover the most common sensitivities, the list below is not exhaustive. Some listed advisories refer to lines only briefly mentioned in the plays, whereas others are major themes of the work. These advisories will be updated regularly as plays are developed in rehearsal and production.

If you have any questions, we encourage you to call or email the box office, and we’re happy to provide more context. (510.841.6500, ext. 303 or boxoffice@shotgunplayers.org).

This production includes:

A sudden and potentially startling sound effect.
Strobe light effects
Bright lights directed towards audience
Non-toxic, water-based fog
The brandishing of a sharp knife
Use of theatrical blood (a human character bleeds)
Descriptions of animal testing/cruelty within a debate format (no violence towards animals is depicted)

masked-audience performances

We understand that there are many members of our community who prefer to gather in masked spaces. To make our performances accessible to as many people as possible, we offer select Sunday “Masked Audience” performances. Food and drink will still be available at our concessions and can be enjoyed outside, but there is no eating or drinking inside the theater during these performances as all audience members, ushers, and staff will be required to wear masks. Performers will be unmasked while on stage during the performance.

POST-SHOW CONVERSATIONS

We strive to make theater that inspires audiences and artists alike to reimagine their lives and the world around them.  We invite you to join fellow audience members for one of our Thursday/Sunday post-show discussions to share how our plays have inspired and provoked you. Discussions are led by an experienced moderator from our staff and artistic teams.
The following are points of inquiry for our upcoming show, The Motion

What themes or ideas from the play are percolating in your mind?
How does the concept of memory function in this play?
What comes to mind when you think about how this play addresses the characters’ relationship to life and love?
Did the shifting structure (and realities!)  of the play impact your connection to the characters and ideas of the story? If so, how?

POST-SHOW CONVERSATIONS

We strive to make theater that inspires audiences and artists alike to reimagine their lives and the world around them.  We invite you to join fellow audience members for one of our Thursday/Sunday post-show discussions to share how our plays have inspired and provoked you. Discussions are led by an experienced moderator from our staff and artistic teams.
The following are points of inquiry for our upcoming show, The Motion

What themes or ideas from the play are percolating in your mind?
How does the concept of memory function in this play?
What comes to mind when you think about how this play addresses the characters’ relationship to life and love?
Did the shifting structure (and realities!)  of the play impact your connection to the characters and ideas of the story? If so, how?

audio-described performances

During these performances, blind and low vision patrons may use headset devices provided by Gravity Access to listen to a live audio description of the show. The narration guides the listener through the performance with concise, objective descriptions of new scenes, lighting, costumes, facial expressions / body language, and “sight gags,” all slipped in between portions of the actors’ dialogue or songs.

For sighted patrons, these performances are the same as any other evening.

HAPTIC TOURS

Pre-show haptic tours allow blind and low-vision patrons to experience the space, performers, costumes, and props through touch, their own movement, hearing, and kinesthetic senses. Usually lasting 20 to 30 minutes, these tours lay a multi-sensory foundation to support the audio description. Doors for pre-show Haptic Tours open at 12:45 PM for check-in. We recommend arriving early as tours begin promptly at 1 PM. The audio-described performances start at 2 PM.

masked-audience performances

We understand that there are many members of our community who prefer to gather in masked spaces. To make our performances accessible to as many people as possible, we offer select Sunday “Masked Audience” performances. Food and drink will still be available at our concessions and can be enjoyed outside, but there is no eating or drinking inside the theater during these performances as all audience members, ushers, and staff will be required to wear masks. Performers will be unmasked while on stage during the performance.