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. Counting Pebbles, a new play created by Faultline Ensemble, follows four EMTs grappling with the sudden loss of a fellow paramedic to a fatal overdose. 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. 

Based on EMS stories collected across the U.S. (2016–2018), Counting Pebbles draws from real interviews, anonymous submissions, and lived experience to reveal the challenges and humanity of emergency medical work. Created by artists, EMS providers, mental health workers, firefighters, and search and rescue technicians — many with firsthand experience — it blends narrative, movement, and visual art into an immersive, emotional performance.

Developed with Turning Point Wellness, the Code Green Campaign, and Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, each show ends with an open discussion connecting the community to those who serve it.

𝟳:𝟯𝟬𝗣𝗠 / 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 / 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟴𝘁𝗵

𝟮:𝟬𝟬𝗣𝗠 / 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 / 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟵𝘁𝗵