The Pilon

by Zach Barr

FULL LENGTH
In Fall 2019, the market for basketball cards has never been more volatile – mint condition samples sell for five figures, and the selling and buying of cards has become a fraternal pursuit like no other. Caught in the center of this market is Corbin, the co-owner of a Seattle card shop, doing his best to keep the business afloat along with his aunt, Rhonda. But when a regular customer pulls a...

FULL LENGTH
In Fall 2019, the market for basketball cards has never been more volatile – mint condition samples sell for five figures, and the selling and buying of cards has become a fraternal pursuit like no other. Caught in the center of this market is Corbin, the co-owner of a Seattle card shop, doing his best to keep the business afloat along with his aunt, Rhonda. But when a regular customer pulls a potentially game-changing card in the shop, the ensuing scramble to sell it reveals the fissures between why men collect cards in the first place – and how they aim to define themselves as men by doing so.

A meditation on how we build an identity through collecting, featuring a queer love story, intergenerational trans friendship, characters overhauling their own constructions of themselves, and the greatest dream of all: Seattle getting an NBA team again.

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The Pilon

Character Information

1 trans woman, 1 trans man, 3 cis men
trans characters must be played by trans actors
cis characters may be played by anyone
  • RHONDA
    Founder and co-owner of Wax Harvest Card Shop. A trans woman, who came out publicly six months ago. Collects vintage baseball cards. Corbin’s aunt. Has lived in Capitol Hill since 1999, and run Wax Harvest since 2002.
    62
    Any Race (BIPOC preferred)
    Trans woman (she/her)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • CORBIN
    Co-owner of Wax Harvest. A massive fan of basketball, and of basketball cards. Runs the Wax Harvest Case Breaks channel on Twitch. Rhonda’s nephew. Marc’s college fraternity brother. In denial about himself and what he wants.
    36
    Any Race (BIPOC preferred)
    Cis male (he/him)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
  • LEX
    Corbin’s friend. A fervent collector of “non-sport” cards. A freelance graphic designer who met Corbin through work. Gay, and secretly in love with Corbin. Scared of nothing more than confrontation.
    32
    Any Race
    Cis male (he/him)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
  • MARC
    A software engineer. Corbin’s college fraternity brother. Helped put together the Wax Harvest Twitch page, and still helps with streams. Joined the hobby recently, and sees cards as a thriving investment.
    38
    Any Race
    Cis male (he/him)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
  • GRIFFEY
    An 8th grade student at Meany Middle School. A trans boy, still figuring out exactly what the bounds of his identity are. A huge fan of Seattle Emeralds center Ronny DeSoto. A collector since August.
    13
    Any Race
    Trans boy (he/him)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary

Development History

  • Workshop, The Understudy Coffee & Books, 2025

Awards