Sam Steiner has quite a few balls in the air, both figuratively and literally. In a figurative sense, the Scottish playwright is busy juggling rehearsals, rewrites and logistical hurdles before the premiere of a table tennis play called "A Table Tennis Play." In the strictly literal sense, Steiner is awaiting a much-needed shipment of a thousand table tennis balls being flown in to Scotland from China. Such is the life of an avant-garde artist. In Steiner's new play, set to debut at an Edinburgh festival, live table tennis action is central to the plot. This, of course, requires that the actors be competent table tennis players. "The great relief is that our actors... can all play table tennis pretty well," writes Steiner. "Decent, long rallies. You don’t want the audience sitting there thinking 'I could beat them' instead of engaging with the story." While it remains to be seen how "A Table Tennis Play" is received, the success of another table tennis play is an auspicious omen. "Chip and Gus: A Ping Pong Play" was a standout at the 2016 New York International Fringe Festival. Written and performed by its two actors, John Ahlin and Christopher Patrick Mullen, the 90-minute play consists entirely of two college professors talking over a spirited and skilled game of table tennis. While this might sound dull compared to singing cats or man-eating plants, the highly entertaining blend of comedy and drama found in "Chip and Gus" is a testament to Ahlin and Mullen's skill as writers and actors (not to mention as above-average table tennis players with exceptional multitasking ability). This new wave of experimental table tennis theater is limited only by the scope of our imaginations. While playwrights dream of new ways to exploit the rich vein of theatricality found in every point, actors would do well to find a coach and start taking table tennis lessons. After all, the classic "triple threat" of acting, singing and dancing is barely enough to get you in the door anymore. Auditions of the future will increasingly feature a quick game to 11. Can't loop against backspin? Don't call us, we'll call you.

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