By Sam DeLong
The classic sci-fi anthology series The Twilight Zone has been a staple of American storytelling for decades. At a time when the concept of the anthology format was still in its infancy on television, the Rod Serling–hosted, black and white series delivered stand-alone tales that explored the darker side of human nature and thorny moral questions. For years, Chico’s Blue Room Theatre has adapted episodes from the series for the stage, and in 2026, the company will now complete its 30th anniversary celebration with this Twilight Zone production.
This year’s show features adaptations of two episodes Blue Room has not previously staged: “Dead Man’s Shoes” and “Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up.” Director Nick Anderson says the production’s longevity comes from the show’s universal appeal. Although The Twilight Zone has seen numerous remakes and reboots—as recent as 2022—the original 1960s series remains the most widely recognized. Anderson says that familiarity makes the concept easy to sell, even to younger audiences.
“It still resonates with people today—the stories themselves, the brilliance of Rod Serling. Everyone has had a Twilight Zone moment where something is happening to them that they can’t explain. Human emotions are the same; our fears and desires are the same as they were in the 1960s,” Anderson notes.
While the original television episodes typically ran for under 30 minutes each, this stage production expands the material into almost a two-hour event, including the host’s introduction, an intermission between the two episodes, plus a raffle and Q and A time. The pairing marks the 10th Twilight Zone production directed by Anderson, who says he’s selective about which episodes make the leap to the stage. The longer format allows production to deepen themes already present in the original scripts.
“Dead Man’s Shoes” tells the story of a homeless man caught in a cycle of violence after discovering the shoes of a murdered gangster, while “Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up” examines paranoia and suspicion following a possible alien encounter while snowbound in a 1960s diner.
“When I choose an episode, there’s criteria I look for—something that’s interesting,” Anderson explains. “Sometimes we pick episodes people know, sometimes ones they don’t. ‘Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up’ is a popular episode; a lot of people remember the ending.”
To fill out the expanded run time, Anderson leans into what live theater does best, allowing actors to live in the world of the story longer than television permits. He credits the show’s writers and a close-knit cast—many of whom he’s worked with for years—for making that possible. “My philosophy is to take your time,” Anderson says. “I want the audience to really see the actors. They put a lot of work into it. When you slow it down, there’s something you get live that you just don’t get on television.”
The cast includes longtime local performers such as Sue Ruttenberg, former co-owner of Chico Cabaret theater, who once directed then-cast member Anderson himself. “It’s kind of my own personal Twilight Zone now,” Anderson continues, “I’m directing people who directed me when I was young. We’ve got actors who’ve done Twilight Zone before and others who’ve always wanted to. Everyone in the show is someone local theatergoers will recognize. I like working with people I trust, and I can be a real stickler for authenticity.”
Actor Michael Swan portrays Rod Serling in this stage production and has served as its set designer since 2010. Swan says his performance is a delicate balancing act of imitation and interpretation.
“I can’t help but do my own version of it,” Swan says. “I try to be as faithful to the TV show as I can, but it does become my own take. I focus on his mannerisms and tone, and I approach the sets the same way—staying as true to the show as possible.”
The Blue Room Theatre weathered significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, relocating to its West First Street space in 2020. Anderson credits the community’s support for live theater with keeping the company alive.
In previous productions, Anderson mimicked the show’s black-and-white aesthetic through muted lighting. This year, he’s moving away from that approach to present it as it would be in real life. “I want the audience to see what they’d see if they were there. With ‘Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up,’ the entire story takes place inside a diner,” he says.
Audience participation has become a hallmark of Blue Room productions, with interactive elements such as collectible lapel buttons and signed cast posters auctioned after performances. He wants each show to be a unique experience, even for those who have seen the show before. “The audience is the reason the Blue Room Theatre exists—it’s the reason all theater exists,” Anderson says. “I like to make that connection, and I encourage anyone who wants to get involved, whether onstage or behind the scenes, to do so.” Anderson also believes in the unique identity of The Blue Room among other local theaters in Chico. “The Blue Room occupies a space in Chico theater that nobody else does,” he says. “There are places that do great musical theater, others that do Shakespeare, but no one else does the kind of work we do….”
“A lot of times when you go to a play, people ask, ‘What’s it about?’” Anderson replies “The Twilight Zone is such an easy concept to explain that it can hook people right away.”
Be the first to comment