AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE BODY OF WATER Kicks Off The 2025 OTR Season At Chance Theater

Chance Theater has announced the staged reading of at the very bottom of a body of water, written by 2025 Resident Playwright Benjamin Benne and directed by Sara Guerrero.

This event is part of Chance Theater's acclaimed "On the Radar" (OTR) New Play Reading Series, highlighting innovative and impactful works in progress. The reading will occur on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at 7:30 PM on the Cripe Stage at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

at the very bottom of a body of water explores the daily rituals we create to anchor ourselves in the world. Marina, the protagonist, finds solace in a weekly routine: visiting her local fish store, buying a catfish, and making soup. But when her usual fishmonger is absent, her sense of comfort is disrupted, leading her to confront whether destruction brings only pain or the potential for something greater. This poetic play examines how small disruptions can spark profound personal growth.

Benjamin Benne (he/him) is Chance Theater's 2025 Resident Playwright, a Playwrights' Center '23-26 Core Writer, and was named part of “LA Vanguardia: The Latino innovators, instigators, and power players breaking through barriers” by the Los Angeles Times. His produced plays include Alma (Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre, American Blues Theater, ArtsWest, Curious Theatre, Central Square Theater, The Spot, Chance Theater, Passage Theatre), In His Hands (Mosaic Theater, First Floor), Manning (Portland Stage), and What / Washed Ashore/ Astray (Pillsbury House Theatre). Additionally, his work has been developed at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, The Public, Roundabout, Playwrights Realm, Denver Center, The Old Globe, Boston Court Pasadena, Two River, New Harmony Project, and SPACE on Ryder Farm, among many others. He has been awarded the Orange Curtain Award for Best Writing, Ojai Playwrights Conference's Dr. Kerry English Award, Portland Stage's Clauder Competition Grand Prize, American Blues Theater's Blue Ink Playwriting Award, Arizona Theatre Company's National Latinx Playwriting Award, and KCACTF Latinx Playwriting Award, among others. He has been commissioned by South Coast Repertory and Seattle Repertory Theatre. MFA: David Geffen/Yale School of Drama. www.benjaminbenne.com

Sara Guerrero (she/hers), a Southern California Chicana native of Mexican/Mestizo ancestry, is a versatile theater artist and educator whose mission is to model, share, and create theater-making opportunities for and with her community.

As the founding artistic director of Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble (BOFLTE), she and the ensemble are artists-in-residence of California State University, Fullerton's Grand Central Arts Center in downtown Santa Ana. The organization was recently awarded a distinguished two-year grant from The National Latinx Theater Initiative (NLTI). 

Guerrero received the 2023-24  Individual Artists Established Fellowship (IAF) by the California Arts Council, (IAF), awarded Honorable Mention” playwright for the 46th Annual Bay Area Playwrights Festival, a semi-finalist for the Judith Royer Playwriting Excellence Award, a Woman of Distinction by Senate District 34 (2020, 2021), Hispanic Lifestyle Latina of Influence Honoree of 2020, Community Engagement “COVID-19 Artist Grant” Awardee, “People to Watch” by American Theatre Magazine, and “Best [Artistic] Director” and “Person of Interest” by OC Weekly. She serves on the Arts Orange County council, Fringe Benefits: Setting the Stage for Social Justice, a member of ATHE, NET Ensemble, Artistic Directors of Color Alliance of the Greater Los Angeles (ADCA), a faculty member of California State University, Fullerton School of the Arts and a CalArts Alum. teatroguerrero.com

On the Radar consists of a new script reading series, a playwright's residency, and a commissioning program, all geared towards supporting the creation of diverse new stories by emerging U.S. playwrights. The goal of OTR is to create a deep and long-term commitment to playwrights by offering them access to a community of artists and audiences, a supportive environment, and the freedom to explore their boundaries and interests.

This year's resident playwright is Benjamin Benne. Past Resident Playwrights include Dustin H. Chinn, Keiko Green, Exal Iraheta, B.J. Tindal, Krista Knight, Jessica Huang, Joanna Garner, Ted Malawer, Jenny Connell Davis, Lauren Yee, Nick Jones, Marshall Pailet, Zayd Dohrn, and Adam Szymkowicz.

Join us for the staged reading of at the very bottom of a body of water on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at 7:30 PM on the Cripe Stage at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center, located in Anaheim, CA.

Tickets are available now at ChanceTheater.com or by calling the box office at (888) 455-4212, Monday through Friday, 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

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