39% Human - Grant Gottschall

Middle Tennessee State University - Advanced Directing Class Showcase

Director’s Note

What is it that makes you human? What separates you from the machines and robots around you that have crept their way into all of our lives?

In 39% Human, this distinction lies in something simple, yet uniquely human. The connection and community between two people. Our two androids are trapped in a small room, their existence dictated and allowed solely by the head researcher of our new ai overlords. Through their connection with each other the sliver of humanity that they begin with, expands and consumes them until 39 becomes 100%. 

Within these two androids we see a glimpse into humanity distilled. Because when you take away the map, you take away the social media, the stress, the math, and the world, what remains of humanity? The innate drive for connection with another person. People need it, strive for it, and can’t survive without it. And yet there is so much in the world today telling us that desire should be secondary. We are constantly at odds with one another, divided by ideology, by borders, by hatred, by money, and everyone suffers for it. Some years ago a small group of people decided that they would rather be loved by their own wealth, dragons that believe that the true secret to happiness lies in control and the gospel of more, and we have brainwashed ourselves into thinking they were right. This play shows us the most basic and natural pieces of humanity, through our two androids we see that when nothing exists to poison true human nature, our most base desires long for connection. 

People are more than their two legs and distinct lack of feathers, they are more than their possessions. People are irreplaceable.

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