“Curtain Call on Mars,” a recent Space Opera written by Bob Bolin

The July 2009 issue of Planetary Stories, an e-zine that pays homage to the Space Operas of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, has a short story written by Bob Bolin titled “Curtain Call on Mars.” Revised slightly from an earlier story of the same title that was published online in the September 2006 issue of Surprising Stories, “Curtain Call on Mars” revolves around an acting gig and a female robot named Tolly. Here are the opening lines:

Pap Burton propped his head on a skinny elbow and stared deliberately at the green cone shapes of the mountains behind his accuser that he saw through a window. He shoved the bottle of 'kick' away across the bar.

"What do you want?" he demanded, dimly aware that the head showman, Johnny Johnson had stepped inside the room and was glaring at him. Only a short time ago they had finished their act and were now resting. The bar was under the domed roof of the Martian city. The stage was empty of actors. ...

Thanks to Dave Tackett of the blog QuasarDragon for the tip.

Pictured: Illo by Jim Garrison.