Songs for the End of Reality 

two plays by Robert Quillen Camp

July 8-24, 2027

Venue: Reed College

The world is unraveling. Mermaids are coming to reclaim the earth. Government spooks are raiding the archives of an obscure cable access show. Coming in summer 2027, PETE will present two world-premiere plays by Robert Quillen Camp in repertory. These plays (Human Resources and Real Experiences with Bob Zane) each explore intimate relationships in the context of a disintegrating present. Iterating on our long collaboration with PETE company member Robert Quillen Camp (Our Ruined House, How To Learn, Deception Unit, Procedures for Saying No), PETE will examine ways of being together inside this dissolving world.

More about the plays:

Human Resources: Having just been laid off, Claire lands an exciting new remote work opportunity. Meanwhile, her roommate Dolores is working through some major life changes in the bathtub. Soon enough, they learn that all human ideas originally extend from the sea. By turns funny, epic, and strangely haunting, Human Resources is a song of mermaids, deep friendship, and a revenge hundreds of years in the making.

Real Experiences with Bob Zane: Join your host Bob Zane on his late night TV show to hear from real people about their experiences with UFOs, time travel, ESP, and all kinds of supernatural phenomena. You’re not the only one watching, though—mysterious strangers are combing through the archives, possibly altering both the future and the past. As Bob starts running out of time, the stakes for his little show get much bigger and much weirder.

Production credits:

Human Resources

Text: Robert Quillen Camp

Direction: Cristina Miles

Performance: Rebecca Lingafelter & Amber Whitehall

Design: Jenny Ampersand, Miranda k Hardy, Peter Ksander, Mark Valadez

Real Experiences with Bob Zane

Text: Robert Quillen Camp

Direction: Rebecca Lingafelter

Performance: Jacob Coleman & Amber Whitehall

Design: Jenny Ampersand, Miranda k Hardy, Peter Ksander, Mark Valadez