Winner of the 2015 Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Original Script

Inside the Seed is a contemporary version of Oedipus Rex reimagined as a darkly comic political thriller.

Mirroring controversial real-life scientific and corporate controversies, Inside the Seed concerns a once-brilliant scientist who made a startling discovery: a bio-engineered form of rice that could save an overpopulated world on the brink of catastrophic famine. The play examines how good, smart, well-intentioned individuals are drawn into, and corrupted by, complex institutional systems, be they corporate, military, or governmental.

Cast of 5 men and 4 women.

Jason Rothery's profile page

Jason Patrick Rothery’s produced, full-length work as a playwright and collaborative creator includes: the space between us(Tziporah Productions), (re)birth: ee cummings in song (Soulpepper), Inside the Seed, Wedgie (Upintheair), Something to Do with Death, POLITIkO (Ghost River), The Drop, and Re:Generation (THEATREboom). Jason was the co-creator of The Walking Fish Festival (Vancouver), co-founder and festival director of the Calgary International Fringe Festival, resident playwright of the second Soulpepper Academy, and the erstwhile artistic director of Ghost River Theatre (Calgary), where he mounted dozens of productions and tours including NiX, presented as part of the 2010 Cultural Olympiad. Jason is currently a PhD student in Communication Studies at Carleton University, where he is studying historical and contemporary narrative systems manifest in various media platforms, including theater and video games. As a component of his doctoral research, he is adapting China Miéville’s celebrated novel The City & The City for a co-production between Vancouver-based theater companies Upintheair and The Only Animal. Inside the Seed won the 2015 Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Original Script.

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post

“A scathing look at a fictitious corporation so large it has lost track of its subsidiaries: while one part of the company is growing genetically modified rice, another is manufacturing defoliants. It’s about a corporation eager to ship 100,000 tons of its ‘Golden Rice’ to Africa without knowing – or caring – about the “statistically insignificant” incidents of birth defects the product causes ... Although it’s clear the playwright condemns corporations such as this, he sets up the debate fairly: millions of starving Africans will benefit from the shipment of the rice and [the main character] really does not know about the birth defects. But there are others who do know and don’t care; or who know but are prepared to make a deal.”
– Vancouver Courier

“Inside the Seed has important subject matter wrapped up in a sexy stylish production. Its corporate machinations are compelling and a little frightening when you realize most of the plot points are based on
real-life examples.”
– Charlebois Post