very still & hard to see

A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Published with other short plays by the author in very still & hard to see .

This second collection of short plays from Steve Yockey mixes comedic absurdity with raw heartbreak to unearth worlds populated by desperate people, mythical characters, faceless corporate masters, and at least one Slasher flick heroine. The second half of the collection is comprised of the work very still & hard to see. This short play cycle recounts the history of a cursed hotel and the unfortunate guests who stay there. From riding in an erratic elevator and dealing with possessive ghosts to managing an ever-expanding hole in the floor armed only with gleaning supplies, these encounters with the unkown chillingly collapse the distance between the real and the surreal and remind us that, sometimes, bad things do happen for a reason.

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Cast Size

4w, 4m

Accolades

Winner! 2012 LA Weekly Playwriting Award

Details

Summary

Published with other short plays by the author in very still & hard to see.

This second collection of short plays from Steve Yockey mixes comedic absurdity with raw heartbreak to unearth worlds populated by desperate people, mythical characters, faceless corporate masters, and at least one Slasher flick heroine. The second half of the collection is comprised of the work very still & hard to see. This short play cycle recounts the history of a cursed hotel and the unfortunate guests who stay there. From riding in an erratic elevator and dealing with possessive ghosts to managing an ever-expanding hole in the floor armed only with gleaning supplies, these encounters with the unkown chillingly collapse the distance between the real and the surreal and remind us that, sometimes, bad things do happen for a reason.

History

very still & hard to see was commissioned by Melissa Y. Smith for the American Conservatory Theatre graduate acting company, opening in workshop on December 7, 2011 in the Hastings Studio Theater. It was directed by Melissa Y. Smith and Stephen Buescher. The play cycle was subsequently produced by The Production Company in Los Angeles, California, on June 1, 2012 at The Lex, produced by August Viverito and T.L. Kolman. It was directed by Michael Matthews, assisted by Jen Albert.

OBAKE – a “woman” but more of a secret thing, striking, poised; also plays MUD WOMAN
BUCK – a man, an architect; also plays SHIKIGAMI 2 and CANARY
ETHAN – a man, Betty’s husband, handsome but wandering; also plays SAM and GUEST
BETTY – a woman with trouble sleeping and a need to clean; also plays KAMI 1 and VIOLET
EDITH – a woman, still jovial in grappling with tragedy; also plays SHIKIGAMI 1 and PUNCH
GINGER – a woman, caught between who she’d like to be and what she’s actually done; also plays KIMBERLY and SIMONE
FRANKLIN – a man, a bit sassy and very rule-oriented; also plays JASPER
DAVID – a man, Simone’s husband, no fan of attention but doing his best; also plays KAMI 2

The characters of this cycle draw inspiration from Japanese folklore and mythology, which are further discussed in an author's note in the script.

Media

"Steven Yockey's series of haunted tales is strung together with expert eeriness." - LA Weekly, Read More

"Yockey's new play is an eerie excusion into the surreal and supernatural" - Backstage, Read More

"...The theatrical equivalent of Disneyland’s Space Mountain, i.e. equal parts excitement, terror, and glee, Very Still And Hard To See provides thrills galore." -Stage Scene LA, Read More

Licensing & Materials

Minimum Fee: $55 per performance
$90 with other plays in collection

Scripts

Available Formats:

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Authors

Steve Yockey

Steve Yockey is a Los Angeles based writer with work produced throughout the US, Europe, and Asia. His plays Pluto, Bellwether, Afterlife, Octopus, Large Animal Games, CARTOON, Subculture, Very Still & Hard to See, The Fisherman’s Wife, Wolves, Disassembly, and Niagara Falls ...

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very still & hard to see