ABOUT: The Show
SPACE HOSPITAL is a retro-futuristic web comedy about doctors and nurses stuck aboard a once-glamorous spaceliner and experimental clinic, patrolling the galaxy under the whims of management in pursuit of power, love and financial solvency.
Capitalizing on the flexibility of web distribution, SPACE HOSPITAL is comprised not only of traditional episodic narratives but also commercials, PSAs and Big Brother-style confessionals that work together to create a layered experience of this complex and bizarre world.
ABOUT: The World
Sleek, glamorous, cutting-edge and high-tech, Space Hospital was launched
in the mid-20th century by a consortium of private, multi-national
corporations eager to stake their claim in space. Aided by the world's
leading scientists, Space Hospital embarked on 3-year mission of
exploration and peace as a first step toward colonizing other planets.
Centuries later, Space Hospital still wanders the galaxy, having long outlasted its original mission. The development of warp-drive space travel opened up new frontiers of commerce, and Space Hospital began to operate as an experimental clinic. Despite endless retrofitting, renovation and intervals of neglect at the hands of a revolving door of new owners, Space Hospital’s services remained in high demand, making it a lucrative source of revenue. Until Now.
Now, the Overlords – a mysterious race of giant, multidimensional businessmen - have added Space Hospital to their growing galactic empire,
the Centrality. A new era of prosperity is to be forcibly ushered in by the Centrality, which invites all to partake of its dubious consumer products and services - or suffer the consequences. The Overlords demand that profit margins be continually increased while funding for the hospital is simultaneously cut. Space Hospital is now staffed mainly by those who are indentured to the Centrality or simply have nowhere else to go.
Back home, Earth is depleted and broken, inspiring developers to build
"Re-Earth" - a glitzy, Vegas-style planet just like Earth but without all of those depressing poor people. Unfortunately, Re-Earth's standing as "best thing going" in the galaxy is being challenged by the Draco, an ancient race of reptilian humanoids from Gamma Draconis who dare dispute the Centrality's claim as "arbiters of the galaxy". In response to the threat of Draconian encroachment, Space Hospital and its surgical staff has been re-commissioned as both sentry vehicle and hospital, forced to blast enemies of the Centrality to pieces, only to bring them on board and put them back together again for the sake of profit and unity.
Not surprisingly, the galaxy is too big to control, and many factions would like to remain independent of the Centrality and its industry. Resistance movements such as the Cosmic Nihilists and the Planetary Cooperative have begun to gather steam. Pirates run wild among the asteroid belts, and utopian splinter-groups flourish on various planetoids and space stations in the dark corners of space. In addition, many worlds remain unexplored,
and there is still new life to be discovered.
ABOUT: The Creative Minds
SPACE HOSPITAL is the brain-child of Sigurd Ueland and Robert Poe who met at and g raduated from Second City Conservatory. Together, they wrote and performed sketch comedy and improvisation for the Second City stage as well as Improv Olympic in Chicago. The idea for SPACE HOSPITAL came from Rob and Sig’s shared love of old serial radio and television programs and a mutual interest in 20th century futurism.
Sig continued to hone his writing chops working and writing for Utne Reader, In These Times Magazine, The Hungry Mind Review, Milkweed Editions and Third World Magazine. He recently was accepted into and graduated from UCL A’s prestigious M.F.A Screenwriting program.
Rob has worked as a set designer, builder and sculptor while managing to stay active in live theatre. He continues to perform in sketch comedy and long-form improvisation shows at the Celebration Theatre and The Actor’s Workout.
Rob and Sig now both reside in LA.
