The Martian Chronicles at 75: A Reading Event at Biosphere 2
First published in 1950, Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles is one of the most iconic of mid-century science fiction space travel books. Through its short story cycle, it describes the drama, challenges and consequences of an imagined colonization of Mars. It explores the ravages of colonialism, the collision of art and technology, and encounters between across space and time. At its heart, the book takes Mars as a backdrop to think about the human condition, its contradictory desires and its uncertain future.
This community reading event brings together a wide array of readers: artists and astronomers, community leaders and poets, to read The Martian Chronicles together at the Biosphere 2. It is our hope that the Biosphere’s Mars-related research and history of Martian dreaming will provide a perfect space for appreciating Bradbury’s foresight, hopes and fears, and the ever more pressing questions his book raises.
Celebrated artist Jonathan Keats will lead a prelude to the readings in the form of a hands-on workshop. Readings will take place in three locations not usually included in Biosphere 2’s public tours: the Mars Yard, the Landscape Evolution Observatory, and the Lung. A reception with light refreshments and discussion will follow.
DETAILS
What: The Martian Chronicles at 75
Where: The Biosphere 2, Tucson, Arizona
When: April 13, 2025
Artist Workshop/Self-guided Tour: 2-4PM
Participants are invited to participate in a unique hands-on workshop designed by artist Jonathon Keats (Work produced will be displayed during the reception period and housed in the Biosphere 2 library collection). They may also use this time to take a self-guided tour of Biosphere 2.
Reading/Performances: 4-6PM
Reception: 6-7PM
Price: Free, advance ticket reservations required
Tickets: Click here for reservations or to join waiting list [The Martian Chronicles at 75: A Reading Event at Biosphere2 Tickets, Sun, Apr 13, 2025 at 2:00 PM | Eventbrite]
ARTIST WORKSHOP: A PREQUEL TO THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES (2:00-4:00)
In the summer of 1924, while the Red Planet was a mere 34 million miles from Earth, an astronomer named David Peck Todd claimed to have picked up a radio transmission that remains unexplained to this day. The signal was transcribed onto paper and preserved in the Yale University Library’s archives. Might the transmission be the Martians’ own pre-contact chronicle? If so, what was extraterrestrial life like before – as Bradbury reports – nearly every Martian was killed by human-borne chicken pox? Was this putative 1924 chronicle intended for Martians – or for us? In this hands-on workshop led by experimental philosopher and Biosphere 2 artist-in-residence Jonathon Keats, participants will be invited to translate the 1924 transmission into a form legible to humans. Participants will invent their own systems for deciphering the radio signal, and set the stories they discover in handmade books that will subsequently be collected in the Biosphere 2 library.
READINGS: THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES AT 75 (4:00-6:00)
At the Mars Yard
“Rocket Summer,” read by Kevin Hainline, University of Arizona Astronomy
“The Summer Night,” read by Alison Deming, Writer, and University of Arizona Emeritus Professor
“--And The Moon Be Still As Bright,” [excerpt] read by DeAnna Daniels, University of Arizona Religious Studies and Africana Studies
At LEO
“The Green Morning,” read by Aaron Bugaj, Biosphere 2
“Night Meeting,” [excerpt] read by Sadie Shaw, Tucson Unified School District Representative and TBD
At the Lung
“Usher II,” [excerpt] read by Paul Hurh, English
“There Will Come Soft Rains,” performance by The Red Herring Puppets
“The Million-Year Picnic” [excerpt] read by Matthew Landon, Pima County Public Libraries
RECEPTION (6:00-7:00)
A reception with light refreshments and discussion on the Biosphere 2 patio.
NOTES
Bring Your Book (if you have one): We will be reading sections and parts of the book together, and you are encouraged to follow along with your own text. We will have a limited number of copies to loan out available at the site.
Accessibility: The readings should all be ADA accessible, though because the spaces are not usually used for public gatherings, there may be unforeseen obstacles. We will be walking between locations on the Biosphere 2 campus, so please dress and prepare accordingly. Please contact us ahead of time if you have any questions or concerns.
The library that will be used for the prequel workshop, however, is not ADA accessible. It is only accessible by stairs unfortunately (it is the bulb atop the tower in Biosphere 2 you might see in photos). There are around 60 stairs to climb to reach it. If you are interested in participating in the workshop and this is an obstacle for you, please let us know and we will try to provide accommodations.
Tickets: Tickets are available through eventbrite. We anticipate a full capacity, but please use the “wait list” option if you are interested in going–we may be able to open up more seats depending upon demand (and our ability to locate chairs!)