Vital Stats Philly Fringe: Zach Trebino
A company’s work should speak for itself. As any good marketing mind knows though, the company name should do some talking as well (see: [ad hoc theatre project]). Take Homunculus for example, the theatre company who brought Woyzeck to last year’s Fringe, and will present Ghost Sonata this year; according to Dictionary.com ‘homunculus’ refers to an artificially-produced dwarf, made in a flask. Hmmm. Semantics. What we do know is that according to the company’s Facebook page members hold themselves to five ethics — “to never be didactic, to never be rote, to never be cavalier, to never be wasteful, and to always be prodigious” — though should rumors of heading an illicit trade of Shrinky Dink-sized humans be true, their morals could be compromised. On this and other things Artistic Director Zach Trebino spoke.
Name: Zach Trebino.
Age: 23.
Where were you born? Carmel, New York.
Where do you live now? South Philly.
Show Title: Ghost Sonata.
Explain your performance in 2 sentences. To an 8-year-old. Welcome to the house of wasted and wasting lives; you are now among the living dead. Don’t let them eat your soul.
What was your favorite toy as a kid? Caterpillars.
What do you love (or hate) most about Philadelphia audiences? The pressure to answer properly should be answer enough.
What would you do if you just inherited a pizzeria? Be even more Italian.
Did you go to college or grad school? If so, where? Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA.
Marvel Comics, or DC? Neil Gaiman.
What’s your favorite nickname for Philadelphia? Quaker City.
What’s the worst piece of advice you ever received? Did you follow it? Size doesn’t matter. Yes.
What’s the most disgusting thing you’ve ever seen on SEPTA? A woman feed her child a Slim Jim for breakfast.
Do you have relatives more famous than you? My great uncle Jerry. He was known as Jerry “The Wolf” Boccia. He murdered his brother.
Ghost Sonata runs September 6, 10, and 13 at 7:00 pm, September 7, 8, 14, 15 at 9:00 pm, September 8 and 15 at 4:00 pm, and September 9 and 16 at 2:00 pm at PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street. $10.
–Audrey McGlinchy