OACT

Ojai Art Center Theater Presents R.U.R. — Rossum’s Universal Robots

The original robot uprising comes to Ojai October 30th

Before there was HAL 9000, before The Terminator, before OpenAI and Anthropic, there was R.U.R. — Rossum’s Universal Robots. The 1920 play by Czech playwright Karel Čapek that introduced both the word “robot,” and the concept of mass-produced artificial workers rising up against humanity. The Ojai Art Center Theater will present a staged reading of R.U.R. in two performances only on Friday, October 30th, at 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM.

Adapted and directed by David Henderson, R.U.R. offers a different kind of scare for the Halloween season: one that may feel considerably less like science fiction than it did a century ago. Čapek’s Robots are not the mechanical creatures we now associate with the word. Rossum’s factory manufactures artificial human beings that are stronger, more efficient and cheaper than human workers, thus promising humanity a future free from drudgery. But the Robots have ideas of their own.

1920s audiences likely viewed the story as pure science fiction. However, in 2026, the questions Čapek asked have acquired an uncanny new relevance. What happens when the things we create become more capable than we are? What happens when they no longer need us?

More than a century later, Čapek’s work seems more prophetic than science fiction.

These readings will take place outdoors on the Art Center patio. Audience members who would like to “dress rehearse” their Halloween costumes are encouraged to do so. Coats or wraps are encouraged. Admission is free. Donations are welcome. For information, contact Jill Dolan at emailjill7@gmail.com.

R.U.R. — Rossum’s Universal Robots

Two performances only: Friday, October 30th, 2026, at 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM

Ojai Art Center Theater
113 S. Montgomery Street
Ojai, California