This fall, local audiences are invited to step into the world of first responders with Counting Pebbles, a moving, original performance by Faultline Ensemble, showing in the Chocolate Church Arts Center Annex on November 8th and 9th.

Counting Pebbles follows four EMTs grappling with the sudden loss of a fellow paramedic to a fatal overdose. In a small rural town, an EMS crew suits up for another shift – rubber-soled boots, reflective jackets, and the quiet weight of things unspoken. Set to a live Americana soundtrack, the play moves between barrooms, ambulance bays, and moments frozen in time, offering a rare glimpse into the inner lives of first responders. 

“Counting Pebbles aims to validate the unique struggles of EMS providers,” says Faultline Ensemble member Taiga Christie, “while also celebrating the resilience, cohesion, and pride that define the first responder community.”

Created by a team that includes artists, EMS providers, mental health workers, firefighters, and search and rescue technicians – many of whom have lived these stories firsthand – the play draws from real interviews, anonymous submissions, and personal experience, unfolding inside the stations where this work happens every day. 

“From almost the moment they step onstage, there is a frank testimonial quality to the work –  as if EMS workers have walked into a room, flicked on the light, and finally, maybe for the first time, begun to tell their side of the story.” – New Haven Arts Paper

This event is open to everyone, and is free for first responders and their families. After the show, audiences and first responders are invited to participate in a mediated discussion on first response work and mental health.