Counting Pebbles
A new play about trauma and resilience in emergency medical responders
In partnership with the Code Green Campaign
Counting Pebbles premiered in March 2019. Given the overwhelmingly positive response it received, we are exploring future performance possibilities. A May 2020 production for New Haven area emergency medical responders has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we hope to perform in New Haven and elsewhere in the field as soon as in person performances are safe. Are you interested in bringing Counting Pebbles to your town, service or community? Read through the show information below, and get in touch with us at [email protected].
After responding to a fatal overdose of one of their own, rural EMTs question the repetitive trauma and stress of their work. Based on EMS provider stories gathered across the U.S. from 2016-2018, this project grapples with the unique challenges faced by emergency medical responders.
Created by a team of EMTs, WFRs, healthcare providers, theater artists, writers, musicians and disaster responders in partnership with the Code Green Campaign, this play tells stories of responders struggling with trauma, burnout, and the aftermath of a coworker's death. While the characters are fictional, parts of their experiences are based in true stories from across the country.
We know that the first responder community continues to face loss, addiction and trauma, and that this project addresses difficult issues that are pressing and relevant. Feel free read below or to contact us for information about the project.
This first performance, presented in association with the Yale Cabaret, hopes to solicit audience feedback and discussion in order to improve the project. Please join us for a discussion after the play to share your thoughts.
After responding to a fatal overdose of one of their own, rural EMTs question the repetitive trauma and stress of their work. Based on EMS provider stories gathered across the U.S. from 2016-2018, this project grapples with the unique challenges faced by emergency medical responders.
Created by a team of EMTs, WFRs, healthcare providers, theater artists, writers, musicians and disaster responders in partnership with the Code Green Campaign, this play tells stories of responders struggling with trauma, burnout, and the aftermath of a coworker's death. While the characters are fictional, parts of their experiences are based in true stories from across the country.
We know that the first responder community continues to face loss, addiction and trauma, and that this project addresses difficult issues that are pressing and relevant. Feel free read below or to contact us for information about the project.
This first performance, presented in association with the Yale Cabaret, hopes to solicit audience feedback and discussion in order to improve the project. Please join us for a discussion after the play to share your thoughts.
March 15 & 16, 7:30pm
March 17, 1:00pm
Yale Cabaret, 217 Park St, New Haven, CT
$5 suggested donation: EMS and Fire providers get in free.
All ticket proceeds will be donated to Honor Wellness Center.
Limited seating. Click here to reserve tickets!
Venue is wheelchair accessible
March 17, 1:00pm
Yale Cabaret, 217 Park St, New Haven, CT
$5 suggested donation: EMS and Fire providers get in free.
All ticket proceeds will be donated to Honor Wellness Center.
Limited seating. Click here to reserve tickets!
Venue is wheelchair accessible
This project was conceived in 2012, when the director was a new EMT in rural New England and witnessed the emotional toll of rural EMS and lack of support for responders. It is intended to share experiences from within the EMS community, and to inspire new ideas for supporting EMS providers.
Faultline Ensemble, a small theater company made up of artists and health workers, partnered with the Code Green Campaign (http://codegreencampaign.org/) to begin work on this project in 2016. The script was developed from 2016-2018, and based on several years of conversations, workshops and interviews with responders and artists across the country.
In early 2018, a decision was made to incorporate a Spring 2019 presentation of the play into the director's thesis project at the Yale School of Public Health. This performance team is a group of New Haven area actors, Faultline artists from other states, Yale School of Drama artists, and first responders from New Haven and beyond. This first production is meant as a rough draft, and a chance to invite feedback from local first responders and health workers in order to improve the project.
We invite emergency medical providers and their supporters to join us for this in-progress showing of the project, and for feedback discussions following the play. Though the characters in this play are fictional, and are inspired by responders from other parts of the country, we know that some elements of the story are familiar to first responders locally and everywhere. Our communities continue to experience loss, addiction and trauma at alarming rates, and this performance presents difficult subjects. We have several supports in place for our audiences:
Faultline Ensemble, a small theater company made up of artists and health workers, partnered with the Code Green Campaign (http://codegreencampaign.org/) to begin work on this project in 2016. The script was developed from 2016-2018, and based on several years of conversations, workshops and interviews with responders and artists across the country.
In early 2018, a decision was made to incorporate a Spring 2019 presentation of the play into the director's thesis project at the Yale School of Public Health. This performance team is a group of New Haven area actors, Faultline artists from other states, Yale School of Drama artists, and first responders from New Haven and beyond. This first production is meant as a rough draft, and a chance to invite feedback from local first responders and health workers in order to improve the project.
We invite emergency medical providers and their supporters to join us for this in-progress showing of the project, and for feedback discussions following the play. Though the characters in this play are fictional, and are inspired by responders from other parts of the country, we know that some elements of the story are familiar to first responders locally and everywhere. Our communities continue to experience loss, addiction and trauma at alarming rates, and this performance presents difficult subjects. We have several supports in place for our audiences:
- We are happy to answer questions or speak to concerns about the project, and can be reached at [email protected]
- 20 minutes prior to the performance, audience members will have the option of hearing a summary of the play's plot in order to know what to expect from the performance. This is also available by emailing [email protected]
- Each show will be followed by a discussion with the director and others from the local community
- Our performance venue is wheelchair accessible
- We invite everyone to share and take advantage of the first responder support resources listed at http://codegreencampaign.org/resources/
We intend this play to be a recognition of the resilience of responders and of the importance of emergency medical work. Please join us to share your ideas, critiques and dreams for the future of the field.
In gratitude,
Taiga Christie, EMT-B
Director
In gratitude,
Taiga Christie, EMT-B
Director
This project is made possible with the support of the City of New Haven Mayor’s Community Arts Grants Program, the Schell Center for Human Rights, the Yale School of Public Health Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Fund, the Tsai City Fund and individual donations. Production developed in part through the support of the CoHo Workshop Lab, a program of CoHo Productions. It is presented in association with the Yale Cabaret.
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