On a continually unfolding set of oak, twine, wool, perfume and plaster of Paris, “Debris Upon the Forest Floor” follows the story of a hockey goaltender who, in 1959, finally got tired of the brutality of his position. He invented the first hockey mask and wore it onto the ice. It would be 14 years before wearing a hockey mask was anything more than a personal choice. Meanwhile, a mountain lion circles the perimeter of the space, and the sinister third party attempts to turn nature into a eulogy. In response, neighbors become friends, and together they seek to regain lost human skill.

Featuring masks, an elevator, glow-in-the-dark macrame and a tiny graphic novel (one for each audience member), the play is comprised of salvaged materials from Appalachian Ohio and Iceland. The story is underscored by otherworldly live music and original compositions drawn from a variety of traditions, including Appalachian Hambone. “Debris Upon the Forest Floor” presents the fear that cuts both ways in a closed society, uncovers invisible true history, and upholds the vitality of small secrets. We ask the audience to become our allies, to remember, without sentiment, a time when we could run as fast as horses, when our powers of memorization were uncanny, and when we could take photographs with our eyes.