The good boy game (2023)

Cast: 2F/2m

Length: 90 minutes

Synopsis: Upon discovering their son, James, is about to commit an unthinkable atrocity, parents Mary-Beth and Sam decide to forgo calling the authorities and de-radicalize him on their own. Tied up in the attic, they put him on a therapist-recommend rewards-based points system designed to give him purpose and expose the goodness within. But as they chip away at his ideologies and attempt to bring him back to their idea of normal, they reckon with the evil that has invaded their lives and the darkness that has lurked among them. A play about the crisis of men, specifically spoiled brats, and how we love them.

Awards: 2020/21 O’Neill Finalist, Normal Ave Semi-Finalist

“THE GOOD BOY GAME is a brilliant examination of violence in our society from the perspective of an extremely wealthy family in Bedminster, New Jersey. There is no moralizing or finger pointing in this play. Every character follows their own disturbing moral compass to its logical end, and the results are astonishing because of what they reveal about The American Psyche and the ways in which we breed the rage which leads to horrifically violent acts. The play is also unexpectedly humorous because each character is completely free in ways that are rarely portrayed on American Stages” - Thomas Bradshaw

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The Teddies (2022)

Cast: 2F/4m

Length: 90 Minutes

Synopsis: In the era of post-covid anxiety and alienation, members of a small workout group find community in their weekly lifts. When a flash flood forces them to relocate to an old Catholic Church, the members start to become haunted by the ghosts of the Muscular Christian Cult that used to occupy it.

Developed as part of a commission by Steep Theatre in 2022

“Loosely based on true historical events, Vermillion's play is nevertheless incredibly modern and relevant to anyone who has ever set foot in a gym or questioned their own mortality. So, all of us.” - Leah Barsanti

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Bezos N’ Me (2022)

Cast: 2F/2m

Length: 90 minutes

Synopsis: In the early 2020s, Portsman and Lizbeth are aspiring television writers working as  security guards for Jeff Bezos's mostly desolate mansion in Beverly Hills. On the eve of a major California wildfire and in the midst of a working class uprising, Mr. Bezos shows up at his mansion for the first time, seeking an escape from the protests at his headquarters in Washington. He offers to produce the pair's pilots as long as they keep him safe while things calm down. The two gladly accept, but as the fire gets closer and the revolutionaries approach, they must decide how far they are willing to go to make sure their stories are heard at the end of the world. 

Productions: Northwestern MFA (2020), Mirror Box Theatre (Virtual, 2021), Butler University (Virtual, 2021)

Awards: 2021 O’Neill Semi-Finalist

“A highly theatrical, genre-defying piece that explores capitalism, complacency, social responsibility, and existential dread of the current moment. Vermillion's theatrical reality is original and mind-bending. Nuanced moments of humanity are interspersed with heightened language and completely bonkers stage images. I'd love to see a bold production team realize this--from actors to directors to designers this play in the right hands would be a sublime, pitch black satire with a fabulistic feel.” - Nick Malakhow

Read The First Scene