Proboscis Theatre CompanyPROSPERO’S BLACK BOX
Conceived, written and performed by Jeff Mills (DePaul University Theater School)
In conjunction with the DePaul Symposium on AI in the Arts
Friday, May 9, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Communications Theatre LL 102,
14 E. Jackson, Chicago
Jeff Mills- Clown, Prospero, Geoffrey Hinton
James Donlon- Director
Jim Connolly- Composer
Dwight Bellisimo- Projection Designer
Prospero’s Black Box explores the absurd connection between Shakespeare’s Prospero and Google’s Geoffrey Hinton as they wrestle with the human implications of Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality. IRL, computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton (considered the “Godfather of Artificial Intelligence”) recently resigned from his senior position at Google because he believed the AI technology he created is a danger to humanity. In this highly participatory solo show (the audience plays a huge role in the storytelling), we see Prospero grappling with his own power and magic. Prospero’s Black Box is a one-person clown show that had its world premiere in 2023 at the Hydrama Arts Center, Hydra Greece. In 2024 it was invited to the Prague Shakespeare Festival and the Verona Shakespeare Festival. In 2025 the show played at the Lit Moon World Theatre Festival in Santa Barbara CA. It also played at the Ol’Factory Festival of Physical Theatre in Chicago and has been invited to play at the Denver Fringe Festival in June 2025.
A BLACK BOX– is an algorithm that is so complicated that even its creators don’t understand how it works.
Prospero– the main protagonist in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Master alchemist, magician, and usurped Duke of Milan. Stranded for twelve years on a Mediterranean island with his daughter Miranda. He plots his revenge against his brother and the King of Naples who conspired against him and banished him from Milan. In the end Prospero gives up his magic and forgives his brother.
Jeffrey Hinton– considered the Godfather of Artificial Intelligence (AI), is a software engineer who recently resigned from his senior position at Google, citing AI (technology he created) as a danger to humanity. You will hear excerpts from his actual resignation speech in Greek throughout the performance. Here is the English version:
“Last week I tendered my resignation. A.I. technologies pose profound risks to society and humanity. Right now, they’re not more intelligent than us, as far as I can tell. But I think they soon will be. I console myself with the normal excuse: If I hadn’t done it, somebody else would have. It is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things.
I am deeply opposed to the use of artificial intelligence on the battlefield. I am deeply opposed to the development of robot soldiers. Even though I myself am an A.I. avatar I deeply oppose the use of artificial intelligence to replace artists, musicians and performers.
Until last year our company acted as a proper steward for the technology, careful not to release something that might cause harm. But now that our competitor, Megasoft, has augmented its search engine with a chatbot, challenging our company’s core business, These tech giants are locked in a race that might be impossible to stop. I have no choice now, but to resign.” –Geoffrey Hinton, 2023
Jeff Mills (he/him/his) is an award winning actor, director, movement artist and musician. He has performed in venues and worked with companies all over the world, including Prague Shakespeare Company, Bitola National Theatre, National Theatre of China, Teatr Lalek in Bialystok, Poland and the Theatre of Changes in Athens, Greece. Stateside he’s worked with Theatre de la Juene Lune in Minneapolis, Denver Center Theatre Company, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, PCPA Theatrefest, Seattle Shakespeare, Wooden O in Seattle, and Lit Moon and Boxtales Theatre Companies in Santa Barbara CA. Jeff has directed many plays all over the country including Midsummer Nights Dream, Comedy of Errors, Henry VI pt 3, Bloody Poetry, The Trojan Women, and The Arabian Nights, and was a co-founder of Door Shakespeare in Baily’s Harbor WI. In Chicago he’s worked with the House Theatre, Raven Theatre and Underscore. In 2010 Jeff founded Proboscis Theatre Company and has devised, written, directed and/or performed in six original shows, including Piezoelectric Love: The (half) Life of Marie Curie, La La La Strada, Strap-On, Queens of Infinite Space, Tempest, and Philoctetes. Favorite roles include MacBeth, Prospero, Bad Lias Hatfield, Carlotta (Cherry Orchard) and Tristan in Peter Sellars/Bill Viola’s Tristan und Isolde at the Opera de Paris in France. Jeff currently teaches movement for actors at The Theatre School at DePaul University.
James Donlon (Director) has been a celebrated master teacher, international performer and director since 1970. He has been on the faculties of acting schools such as The American Conservatory Theater, The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, The National Theatre Conservatory-Denver Center, The Yale School of Drama, UC-Santa Barbara, UC-San Diego, and the Oregon Center for the Arts. Donlon has presented residencies with special institutions like El Teatro Campesino, Mexico City ‘s Bellas Artes, Prague’s national Academy of Performing Arts (AMU), Dublin’s Gaiety School of Acting, and Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus Clown College where he taught Tony Award-winner Bill Irwin and Big Apple Circus clown icon Barry Lubin. He has been a film movement coach for Oscar-winners Javier Bardem, Kathy Bates, and Frances McDormand, as well as film stars Benjamin Bratt and David Strathairn. James created fight choreography for Linda Ronstadt. Among his past students are legendary Broadway musical actor Terry Mann, and Hollywood writers Peter Hedges (The Odd Life of Timothy Green), Angus MacLachlan (Junebug), and Noah Harpster (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood). James is the only physical theater artist ever invited to perform with legendary San Francisco street mime Robert Shields of CBS’ The Shields & Yarnell Show. He is the first American clown to perform in the famed Teatro Dimitri of Switzerland. James has performed his original work throughout North America, Europe, and Latin America to critical acclaim. James has been awarded the Golden Hands Gloves by the World Mime Organization for his life-time achievement of excellence in the art of Mime.