Zero

by Ian August

FULL LENGTH - Deep in the woods of rural Connecticut lies a monolithic Victorian mansion, the St. Vedastus Academy for Misguided Teens, a refuge for the newly violent, mildly sinister, and willfully corrupt. Nil is at least two of these things, and even in the eyes of more deviant classmates, suffers social death for it. When schoolmate Harrison discovers a seemingly bottomless pit in the forest floor, Nil...

FULL LENGTH - Deep in the woods of rural Connecticut lies a monolithic Victorian mansion, the St. Vedastus Academy for Misguided Teens, a refuge for the newly violent, mildly sinister, and willfully corrupt. Nil is at least two of these things, and even in the eyes of more deviant classmates, suffers social death for it. When schoolmate Harrison discovers a seemingly bottomless pit in the forest floor, Nil sees an opportunity to claw to the top of the heap. But a strange compulsion begins to threaten their plans, and all the while the pit begins to grow larger and larger and larger, threatening to swallow them all. ZERO is a narrated tale of the inexplicable and the unspeakable, a darkly comedic allegory about the relationship between addiction and empathy, the danger of simple solutions, and whether ‘nothing’ actually exists anyway.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: This play includes all the things. This ain’t no Disney Channel sh*t.

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Zero

Recommended by

  • Kullen Burnet: Zero by Ian August
    “

    Propulsive and powerful and pulsing with cynicism and hope in equal measure. The sci fi love child of Strange Days at Blake Holsey High and a D.A.R.E. program ran by beyond neglectful adults. Fantastical and heartfelt dialogue and descriptiveness that feels akin to John Hughes and Gregg Araki and tightly paced kids adventures but make it more terrifying and fucked up. Nil, Harrison, and Julia are the trifecta of teen rebellion, resentment, and resilience I never knew I needed to read. Definitely read this play!

    Propulsive and powerful and pulsing with cynicism and hope in equal measure. The sci fi love child of Strange Days at Blake Holsey High and a D.A.R.E. program ran by beyond neglectful adults. Fantastical and heartfelt dialogue and descriptiveness that feels akin to John Hughes and Gregg Araki and tightly paced kids adventures but make it more terrifying and fucked up. Nil, Harrison, and Julia are the trifecta of teen rebellion, resentment, and resilience I never knew I needed to read. Definitely read this play!

    ”
  • Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend: Zero by Ian August
    “

    I've never read a play like this. It's about a group of teenagers in a reform school for dangerous teens. It's about a giant, gaping, other-worldly hole in the ground. It's about a missing iguana. It's about the concept of nothing, and whether or not nothing actually exists. And when you take it all together.. wow, what a ride. It's hard to write dialogue for teenagers, but Ian August nails it. This play is about so much darkness, and so much hope. It's wonderful.

    I've never read a play like this. It's about a group of teenagers in a reform school for dangerous teens. It's about a giant, gaping, other-worldly hole in the ground. It's about a missing iguana. It's about the concept of nothing, and whether or not nothing actually exists. And when you take it all together.. wow, what a ride. It's hard to write dialogue for teenagers, but Ian August nails it. This play is about so much darkness, and so much hope. It's wonderful.

    ”
  • Cheryl Bear: Zero by Ian August
    “

    A moving rollercoaster of a journey through the throws of life and the search for connection. Well done.

    A moving rollercoaster of a journey through the throws of life and the search for connection. Well done.

    ”
View all 12 recommendations

Development History

Awards

  • New Comedy Festival
    Garry Marshall Theater
    Semi-Finalist
    2022
  • National Playwrights Conference
    Bay Area Playwrights Festival
    Semi-Finalist
    2020