Aliens, Politics and a Few Laughs

In Gary Morgenstein’s vision of creatures from outer space, aliens are not giant, bug-like creatures intent on taking over the world, nor are they little green men. Instead, in the Windsor Terrace resident’s new play, “Mad Mel and the Marradians,” premiere’s tonight at the Midtown International Theatre Festival, aliens are just like earthlings—that is entrenched in egotistical power struggles and political scandal.

“I wanted to do something fun that would blend together science fiction and comedy and politics,” said Morgenstein, who works at the Communications Director for the SyFy Channel when he’s not penning plays. “At the end of the day it’s about government cover ups. They exist in all societies, in alien and earth governments.”

In the play, an egotistical earthling author accidentally uncovers a fatal plot dreamed up by an alien race called the Marradians. Only the writer, Melvin Worthington, thinks he completely made it up, and pens a series of best-selling “scholarly” books about the Marradians and their visit to Earth 30,000 years ago.

When the Imperial Chancellor Larynx of Marradia finds out about the books—which threaten his ambitions to become High Priest Dubya—he dispatches his Marradian underlings to earth to stop Worthington (who is played by Bed-Stuy resident Rob Gaines) from publishing any more books.

The aliens, once landing on earth, have a pretty hard time figuring out what’s going on.

“They think that Will Smith is the president and that Charlie Sheen is the Chancellor of Earth,” he said. “And women dress like Reese Witherspoon in
‘Legally Blond.’”

There are no cheesy green alien costumes either. Rather, Morgenstein’s aliens are decked out in pahmina’s he bought at this year’s Seventh Heaven street fair.

“There’s comedy about it, but it’s ultimately about relationships,” said Morgenstein. “This is theatre. There are no spaceships landing on stage.”

The play is a departure for Morgenstein, who, despite his day job, had never written science fiction before. Though he’s long been a self-proclaimed “sci-fi geek” he earlier plays “Ponzi Man” and “A Tomato Can’t Grow in the Bronx” focus on family drama and Jewish life.

“Being surrounded by science fiction all the time, it’s hard not to be influenced by it,” he said. “People sometimes don’t realize the nature of sci-fi. People just think it’s Star Trek and Star Wars, but it’s ultimately just about an alternative world.”

“Mad Mel and the Marradians,” Main Stage Theatre, 312 West 36th Street, 4th Floor. Monday, July 11 at 6PM; Saturday, July 16, at 2:30PM; Tuesday, July 19, at 8:30PM; Sunday, July 24, at 6PM; and Thursday, July 28, at 8PM. Tickets are $18/$15 and are available at https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/834935 or by phone at 866-811-4111.

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