Review – A Show for the Galaxy
A Show for the Galaxy takes place now or in the near future. When aliens challenge us, we expect a fight with soldiers, bombs, and guns.
But that’s not what the aliens have in mind at all.
I wrote this story during second quarter 2021. This was a year when I was writing every day, even when it wasn’t November.
Background
The Earth has two choices. Either participate in an interstellar arts competition, or lose an opportunity to join a huge intergalactic alliance. While it would not necessarily mean the end of the world, self-destruction would be inevitable without interstellar friendship.
Essentially, the fate of the world is going to be decided just like American Idol.
Plot
When the story opens, Charlotte (the narrator) describes the stakes and the production. A number of actors and behind the scenes people are chosen to represent the Earth in stagecraft.
There are other arts to represent the Earth, like sculpture and weaving. But the story is only concerned with treading the boards.
When the troupe is cut off from the grid, the cast falls into despair. They have no scripts! But then Charlotte pulls out her secret weapon—a small volume of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, which she always carries around for luck.
Charlotte has gravitas. She was already a retiree when the alien challengers chose her. And so, she ends up in a director-type role. But it’s also because she has the script.
Characters
The characters start with narrator Charlotte, who is playing Portia. The man playing Brutus is Chase Marquis, who was born Chuck McKay. Charlotte refers to him as ‘an afternoon snack of a man’. He’s young enough to be her son.
And, of course, there are the other people in the production and those who work behind the scenes. Plus, there are people who represent other arts on our planet. But Charlotte never names them.
There’s also President Menosky, although we only see him at the very end.
Memorable Quotes
All the others are far younger than I am. And—horrors!—we were cut off from the grid.
With no way to access scripts, my fellow thespians started to panic. That is, until I pulled out my secret weapon.
See, it was a gift from when I first started out. My acting teacher gave it to me. Now I realize she was probably hitting on me. But no mind. I kept it because I’ve always loved this play. And now, it’s the only game in town.
I’ve got a paper book. It’s Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. And thank God we can create an entire production around this little, humble book.
I was in several productions, and I’ve always played Portia, so of course I am playing her again. My Brutus is an afternoon snack of a man—Chase Marquis. Or, as he was born, Chuck McKay.
I’ve taken on a kind of director role; and thank God they all listen to me. We’ll put on the best and greatest production of Julius Caesar in the history of whatever.
Or we’ll die trying.
Rating
The story has a K rating.
Takeaways for A Show for the Galaxy
I originally start to write Charlotte as almost a cougar. But then I decided she would drop anything frivolous and just concentrate on helping the troupe save the planet.
This story isn’t even 1500 words long, yet I feel it accomplishes its objective handily. I really should query this one!