Set in a stylized 1950s world and centered around a fictional variety show called The Razzle Dazzle, My Strange Darling follows the story of a performer who, beneath the glittering spotlight, harbors a deep sense of loneliness. Offstage, he retreats into the solitude of his apartment, where he spends his nights constructing a robot—part companion, part escape.

Conceived and directed by Lauren Edson and Andrew Stensaas, My Strange Darling blends original music, dance, and theatricality to explore the tension between our hyperconnected digital lives and the quiet ache beneath them. Featuring a hauntingly beautiful puppet by Jessica Nebeker and a stellar cast from across the country, the work inhabits a dreamlike space where technology meets tenderness.

In the age of digital saturation, artificial intelligence, and curated personas, My Strange Darling asks: What do we reach for when the world feels both intimately near and impossibly far away?