REAL
Real is a musical comedy that explores what it means to be human through the lens of a robot (ThingamaBob, “Bob” for short), who desperately wants to be accepted as one of us. Set on the campus of a Silicon Valley technology company in a near-dystopian future, the show follows Bob as he constructs his own robotic guide to humanity - from learning to communicate, to making friends, to ultimately falling in love.
Real begins with Robyn Fox, CEO of SmartLabs, Inc., and her brilliant computer scientist spouse, Sam Lovett, as they introduce Bob to their employees. Bob is the prototype in their revolutionary new line of SmartBoys, humanoid robots made to serve. Bob looks like Captain America, knows more than a NASA supercomputer, and caters to his owner’s every need, with no needs of his own! That is, until Bob meets Joan, Sam’s and Robyn’s daughter, who helps Bob learn to think beyond his pre-programmed code. As Bob grows and connects with Joan, he struggles to reconcile his hardwired impulse to serve with his desire for independence. Is Bob doomed to be the next Siri, or will he fight for the rights of all SmartBoys to come?