When the writer of a pandemic-era Zoom play bails on the project last minute, a woman tries to guide two actors through what should be a simple staged reading. This experimental piece was recorded with a live audience, and the chat box on screen was not scripted in any way.
Director statement
As someone who keeps a foot in both the film and theatre-making worlds, the pandemic era provided a unique opportunity to blend them in to an experimental piece. Inspired by the second-person address in Italo Calvino’s novel “If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler,” the framework of the story became a Zoom play gone wrong, punctuated by monologues from the stage manager. We loved getting to play with what elements were scripted and what felt real to a live audience, whose chat log provided real-time feedback on how the story was perceived in their minds.
Bio
Ian “El” Trutt is a nonbinary Latine screenwriter, director, and professionally produced playwright originally from Atlanta, GA. They specialize in dark comedies and social commentary brought to life with sharp dialogue.
Trutt holds an MFA in screenwriting from UGA under the mentorship of Christine Swanson and Holly Sorensen. Their first digital series, Cam Girl, is now on YouTube, along with other self-produced short films.
Director: Ian “El” Trutt
Inspired by Italo Calvino’s novel “If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler”
Pebbles Underground is focused on showcasing and promoting experimental, avant-garde, underground, and no-to-low budget projects by artist-humans from all over the world. Absurd, uncanny, witty, humorous, slow-video – all are welcomed, and loved.
Pebbles Underground is an independent project not funded by any government or corporation, and we intend to keep it that way. Main source of funding is personal donations from humans organizing the project, who are artists themselves, and the main drive of the project is formed by the energy and involvement of the organizers, and the public.
