The Pilon

by Zach Barr

FULL LENGTH – 2026 STEINBERG/ATCA NEW PLAY AWARD WINNER
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...

FULL LENGTH – 2026 STEINBERG/ATCA NEW PLAY AWARD WINNER
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 transgender teenage boy, Griffey, pulls a potentially game-changing card in the shop, the ensuing scramble to buy and sell it reveals the fissures around why men collect cards in the first place – and how they aim to define themselves as masculine by doing so.

A meditation on how we build our identity by following or running from other peoples' examples, featuring a queer love story, intergenerational trans friendship, characters overhauling their own identities, and the greatest dream of all: Seattle getting an NBA team again.

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The Pilon

Recommended by

  • Aly Kantor: The Pilon by Zach Barr
    “

    The world of sports cards has so much vernacular that, at times, this play felt like masterful high fantasy, instantly immersing me in a subculture I knew nothing about. What really sings in this script, however, are the characters, who yearn and struggle in gorgeous, deeply human ways. Even when the stakes are more or less financial, you can feel the human heartbeat behind each decision. I really believe this tense script has something for everyone, from reconciliation to romance! Fantastic!

    The world of sports cards has so much vernacular that, at times, this play felt like masterful high fantasy, instantly immersing me in a subculture I knew nothing about. What really sings in this script, however, are the characters, who yearn and struggle in gorgeous, deeply human ways. Even when the stakes are more or less financial, you can feel the human heartbeat behind each decision. I really believe this tense script has something for everyone, from reconciliation to romance! Fantastic!

    ”
  • Noah Tibbetts: The Pilon by Zach Barr
    “

    Zach Barr's THE PILON is, by far, one of most engaging plays I've read in a while! The attention paid to the vernacular and details of card collecting immersed me in the hobby while not overwhelming me. Such a cool niche for the subject of a stage play. Moreover, weaving the play's LGBTQ+ characters/themes into the hobby proved captivating. A wonderfully wholesome triumph! (P.S. As one raised in the Pacific Northwest, I adored the play's setting and Seattle-isms!)

    Zach Barr's THE PILON is, by far, one of most engaging plays I've read in a while! The attention paid to the vernacular and details of card collecting immersed me in the hobby while not overwhelming me. Such a cool niche for the subject of a stage play. Moreover, weaving the play's LGBTQ+ characters/themes into the hobby proved captivating. A wonderfully wholesome triumph! (P.S. As one raised in the Pacific Northwest, I adored the play's setting and Seattle-isms!)

    ”
  • Martha Wade Steketee: The Pilon by Zach Barr
    “

    "RPA" = rookie patch autograph; "slabbed" = professionally graded and sealed in plastic case. 1st 1/4 of the play immersion in world of sports trading card personality types and lingo; dynamics of sexual attraction and jealousy and fandom and competition and greed extend from this foundation skillfully. Final scene seals the quality deal: theatrically interweaving the commerce of fandom/collecting with the sheer love the game. Delightful.

    "RPA" = rookie patch autograph; "slabbed" = professionally graded and sealed in plastic case. 1st 1/4 of the play immersion in world of sports trading card personality types and lingo; dynamics of sexual attraction and jealousy and fandom and competition and greed extend from this foundation skillfully. Final scene seals the quality deal: theatrically interweaving the commerce of fandom/collecting with the sheer love the game. Delightful.

    ”
View all 14 recommendations

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. She came out as trans two years ago. Collects vintage baseball cards. Corbin’s aunt. Has been both the owner of Wax Harvest and a member of the queer community since 2002, and will staunchly defend and foster both.
    62
    Any
    Trans woman
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary,
      Woman
  • CORBIN
    Co-owner of Wax Harvest. A massive fan of basketball cards and, to a lesser degree, basketball. Runs the Wax Harvest Case Breaks channel on Twitch. Rhonda’s nephew. Attended the same fraternity as Marc. Certain about his passions, but uncertain of how to act on them.
    36
    Any
    Cis male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man,
      Non-binary
  • 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
    Cis male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man,
      Non-binary
  • MARC
    A software engineer. Attended the same fraternity as Corbin. Helped put together the Wax Harvest Twitch page, and still helps with streams. A sports fan who joined the hobby recently, and sees cards as a thriving investment.
    38
    Any
    Cis male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man,
      Non-binary
  • GRIFFEY
    An 8th grade student. Still figuring out exactly what the bounds of his identity are. A huge fan of Seattle Emeralds center Ronny DeSoto. A collector since May, though he hasn’t resold many cards.
    13
    Any
    Trans man
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man,
      Non-binary

Development History

  • Workshop, The Understudy Coffee & Books, 2025

Production History

Awards