Almost Lover

A New Play Reading

by Xinning Shao

It is the year 2086, the height of the Relationship Recession. People now live with personalized AI lover-bots designed to meet every emotional and physical need. The bots have recently hit a snag, though: users no longer want sex with them.

To address this issue, Milo, a corporate slave at a love-tech conglomerate, is tasked with updating the bots. He decides to extract data from W and M, two human clients at “True Love Consultancy,” a matchmaking service devoted to restoring the ancient tradition of real-people dates. As the bots evolve to win their users’ hearts, however, they find themselves just as confused as the humans about what is “real,” and what is not ….

If you’ve ever survived dating app chaos, or suspected you might have become a little too (emotionally) reliant on ChatGPT, this play is for you.

A staged reading for an original play.

Supported by Ezra Stiles Creative and Performing Arts Awards.

For all inquiries, please contact:

xinning.shao@yale.edu

Performance Dates & Times

April 24, 2026 - 7:00pm

Location

Crescent Underground, Morse and Stiles Colleges, 304 York Street

Venue Accessibility:

Venue lobby is accessible via elevators located near both the Morse and Stiles dining halls. Upper seating is accessible via main venue entrance. Facilities and stage level seating are accessible via a ramp to the left of the main venue entrance.

Patron Information

Yale is committed to the full inclusion of all individuals. ASL interpretation is available for patrons attending a production who are deaf or have hearing loss. To request accommodation: