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But what about those bees in the title? Well, I’m glad you asked. I had to do some searching around to find out about the author’s motives. The disappearance of the bees in this dystopian world is a metaphor for the loss of natural procreation, and the severe consequences of human intervention by controlling a population based on the government’s mandates.

For me, that’s a bit of a stretch. But I get it. With a future world that has exploded with overcrowding due to the sheer numbers of people inhabiting it, the play delineates human intervention in the process of procreation. The control of pregnancies has nothing to do with the individual’s right or desire to have a baby, and everything to do with controlling the population and, therefore, the populace. 

It is a scathing indictment of the overreach into the reproductive rights of women. The destruction of the bees in our real world is alarming in itself. When used as a metaphor for the destruction of our world as we know it due to ecological and environmental choices we have unwisely made, Honey Bee Baby takes this scenario to its futuristic extremes. 

Rapid Lemon Productions, under Max Garner’s leadership, has built a reputation for delivering bold and thought-provoking productions that tackle timely and relevant themes. This one is directed by Jalice Ortiz-Corral with what presents as a firm comprehension of the script and its messages. Using a child’s stuffed bee makes a nice nod to the bee concept. And the opening montage of projections designed by Garner himself, as well as the accompanying soundtrack, dovetails perfectly with the script and story line. That montage was as enlightening as it was entertaining and concludes with the proverbial mushroom cloud of destruction. 

The set, designed by Justin Nepomuceno and the lights provided by Martin Smith are well suited to the action, displaying a variety of minimalist layouts conveying a number of locations. 

I was impressed with most of the cast. Several actors played multiple roles and while they didn’t seem to do a lot to differentiate themselves from one character to the next, they were well suited to their parts within the context of the material. I especially enjoyed Kaitlyn Fowler and Isaiah C. Evans, both of whom seemed quite comfortable with their characters. 

K.S. Garner did a fine job portraying Clarisa at the age of—I’m guessing—maybe five or six, though I would have liked to see her have a little more fun with the part of the sullen child. Sharon Maguire’s portrayal of Mother was slightly robotic, fitting the character’s constrained existence but leaving little room for emotional complexity until the story’s final moments. Rakell Foye shines as Melisa, skillfully balancing her character’s rule-abiding nature with her compassionate humanity, creating a protagonist worth rooting for.

Post-apocalyptic dramas are far from new. From Fahrenheit 451 to Soylent Green and Mad Max (though the latter is a movie), such cautionary tales have long warned of the dangers of bad governance and environmental neglect. Ortiz’s Honey Bee Baby continues this tradition, challenging audiences to reflect on what might happen if we don’t watch out.

Honey Bee Baby runs through January 26 at Strand Theatre, 5426 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214.