The Vehicles that brought me here
The Vehicles That Brought Me Here is a play cycle written in the context of our protagonist Beckett’s journey of growing up. “In a Playlist for Summer” is the beginning of Beckett’s growth through the discovery of friendships and how people and trauma become associated with home. “Place of Departure” is the brief meeting of Beckett and a stranger he becomes entranced with, as he begins to comprehend people coming and going in his life and how they impact his understanding of relationships. The final play “People You Meet on Your Daily Commute” takes place on the subway and views how movement with the people that surround him impacts how Beckett views himself as he comes to terms with his own identity. The plays are all about the physical vehicles that bring us to the places we are going, but, more importantly, are also about how we as humans act as spiritual and emotional vehicles as we go on our various journeys through life.
The Vehicles That Brought Me Here will be worshopped at Wagner College in the Stage One Theater. Samantha O'Neil is directing, with Alexa Santiago Assistant directing. Performances are February 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th.
01
A Playlist For The Summer
Celiana and Beckett take car rides around their suburb after high school graduation, occasionally accompanied by Beckett's little sister Dodie. With music always in the background the audience sees the history between these two teenagers create tension as they navigate what it is to become an adult. In this coming-of-age play two best friends figure out how to move forward past high school.
There was an independent produced in 2021 reading of A Playlist For The Summer with the cast as follows
Beckett: Joshua Piper
Celiana: Katelyn Young
Dodie: Jianna Magsino
02
Place Of Departure or (The Airport Play)
Man A meets Man B. They start a conversation and over the course of several minutes, hours, days, or months they fall in love in this terminal between their separate destinations. “Place of Departure or (The Airport Play)” is about a serendipitous moment where two people lose track of time talking to each other while also tackling the issues of homophobia, body dysmorphia, and racism, specifically to Asian gay men. Above all it’s a story about love and how taking a step forward can be the hardest thing to do.
There was a workshop produced at Wagner College in February 2023 of Place Of Departure or (The Airport Play) with the cast as follows
A: Riku Toyohara
B: Joshua Piper
03
People You Meet On Your Daily Commute
Beckett feels like 10 different people. He's one person when he talks to his mom, another when he talks to his sister, another with the boy he likes, and so many more. "People You Meet On Your Daily Commute" is all about how we tend to adapt to the setting we are in and the people we are around rather than pursuing the person we want to be. It's hard to be unapologetically yourself, and this play is about someone really scared to be that person.