The Empty Ocean, or, The YouTube Play

by A.J. Ditty

Hey, what’s up subscribers??? Crazy what’s been going on with V’s channel, right? Like, his best friend and long-time collaborator David just left YouTube for good without, like, ANY warning. Something’s off there, fam, I know it. And now they’ve brought on this new girl, Dalia something???, who I hear used to write for The Experiment, yeah, that HBO show about the clones or the aliens or whatever. But now they...

Hey, what’s up subscribers??? Crazy what’s been going on with V’s channel, right? Like, his best friend and long-time collaborator David just left YouTube for good without, like, ANY warning. Something’s off there, fam, I know it. And now they’ve brought on this new girl, Dalia something???, who I hear used to write for The Experiment, yeah, that HBO show about the clones or the aliens or whatever. But now they’re talking about “a new era for the channel” where they’re gonna start making “art”? or something? and I’m just like: whatever happened to the glory days of V and David just, like, blowing up cars with bazookas? Why is David vague-posting about some shady stuff V got up to in the early days of the channel? Why do I feel this emptiness inside of me, this roiling, echoing churn of impossible loneliness that threatens to consume my every waking thought? haHA Don’t forget to smash that like button. Please. Please like me. Please somebody like me. Anybody please please please please pl01se pl10ase p0101ase p01101000 01100101 01101100 01110000 00100000 01101101 01100101.

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The Empty Ocean, or, The YouTube Play

Recommended by

  • Katherine Alberta: The Empty Ocean, or, The YouTube Play by A.J. Ditty
    “

    Had the absolute privilege of witnessing this play's creation via Under Construction Playwrights Group and I loved every second of it. Everyone in this play might be a terrible person, but Ditty captures them so wholly and earnestly that you care about them regardless. A devastatingly accurate tale about the undying pursuit of attention and validation.

    Had the absolute privilege of witnessing this play's creation via Under Construction Playwrights Group and I loved every second of it. Everyone in this play might be a terrible person, but Ditty captures them so wholly and earnestly that you care about them regardless. A devastatingly accurate tale about the undying pursuit of attention and validation.

    ”
  • Sarah Jae Leiber: The Empty Ocean, or, The YouTube Play by A.J. Ditty
    “

    A funny and damning play about ceding reality to what looks real onscreen and what doing that does to your brain, especially if you’re rewarded for it with millions of eyes on you. The moments where Ditty makes you feel every one of those eyes are the most arresting in the piece, and the characters shine equally in their more insular, ~intimate~ (whatever that means to ghouls) moments.

    A funny and damning play about ceding reality to what looks real onscreen and what doing that does to your brain, especially if you’re rewarded for it with millions of eyes on you. The moments where Ditty makes you feel every one of those eyes are the most arresting in the piece, and the characters shine equally in their more insular, ~intimate~ (whatever that means to ghouls) moments.

    ”
  • Ben Schrager: The Empty Ocean, or, The YouTube Play by A.J. Ditty
    “

    In 2006, Time awarded Person of the Year to "You" with a YouTube screen on the cover. It was the promise of the Content Creator Era: no more barriers between you and your fans! The Empty Ocean vividly explores the chasm between that promise and reality. Because when your content is "You," you create 2 "You"s: the one recording and the one not. This play is a scorching indictment of that capital C Content bifurcation, where "Authentic" is more aesthetic than reality. It's also bitingly funny.

    In 2006, Time awarded Person of the Year to "You" with a YouTube screen on the cover. It was the promise of the Content Creator Era: no more barriers between you and your fans! The Empty Ocean vividly explores the chasm between that promise and reality. Because when your content is "You," you create 2 "You"s: the one recording and the one not. This play is a scorching indictment of that capital C Content bifurcation, where "Authentic" is more aesthetic than reality. It's also bitingly funny.

    ”

Character Information

  • Dalia Vogelman
    Ambitious, extremely good at her job, tired of being invisible.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary,
      Woman
  • Vinny "V" DiMondio
    One of the vanguards of old YouTube. Has been affecting cool for so long he has almost become it. Almost.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Denise Hitze
    A manager/agent extraordinaire, able to wheel and deal with the best of them.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary,
      Woman
  • Dinesh Pradhana
    The main editor of V's channel. Balances out his near constant intake of energy drinks with weed.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man,
      Non-binary
  • David Cera
    V's childhood friend and ex-collaborator. Haunted by his past.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man,
      Non-binary

Development History