Before avant-garde theatre icon Richard Foreman passed away, he posted several of his notebooks on his website for any theatre enthusiast to direct, stage, use, etc. As a huge fan of Foreman’s work, Michael Verderber jumped at the chance to use the scraps of dialogue to create new theatre pieces in experimental and brand new ways.

Thus comes… “Throne”, one of the many Notebook sections that Verderber is taking a short stab at using object manipulation. This piece will set up a much larger and more complicated work, called “Richard Foreman’s Potatoland Paradise” (derived from multiple Notebooks and staged in Foreman’s infamous Potatoland setting). Both “Throne” and “…Potatoland Paradise” will be released online. More info coming soon!

Here is “Throne”:

ZERO-189

Our great friends at the Equity Library Theater of New York has added our filmed play “The Absence of Everything” by Katherine Orozco-Verderber and starring Daniel Rodriguez to their site! Their site is a go-to resource for several fantastic theatre productions, festivals, readings, and events in the New York area and beyond.

Do check our their upcoming summer festivals and shows like “Overtones” and “Oh Francis”, and of course “The Absence of Everything” here now: www.pineyforkpress.com
If you keep scrolling you will see our previous award-winning productions with them: “Epitaph By Moonlight” and “Unending Repetition / Treason” from previous festivals.

Our film “Echo” has been selected for the ICJ Award 2026 in Ukraine! More information coming soon, but see the screenshot for the information we DO have.

Zero Untitled’s official submission inspired by the “2026 Water, TX Film Festival” call for films is a bleak work called “Echo”, written by Katherine Orozco-Verderber, conceived and directed by Michael Verderber, with the Director of Photography, Julio Martinez. All entrants to the festival should have a heavy focus on “water” as a topic in the film submission. ZU is going the ironic route, but we were not accepted into that particular festival. It has since been submitted elsewhere.

Utilizing the bunraku puppeteering skills of Dakota West, Martinez, and Verderber, the short film focuses on a crane (recently used in “My Friend, Mr. Crane”) searching his habitat for something edible in the water. Only problem – there is no water left. The film is a scathing indictment on water issues arising in south Texas, as well as mankind’s negative effect on animal habitats.

Director – Michael Verderber
Words – Katherine Orozco-Verderber
Storyboarding and Director of Photography – Julio Martinez
Bunraku Puppeteers – Dakota West, Julio Martinez, Michael Verderber
Camera – Katherine Orozco-Verderber
Music – Down Chamber “Through the Forest Lies Treachery” and “Echo Theme”

The film is now viewable on YouTube and was submitted to the “2026 Water, Tx Festival”.

From the Whooping Crane organization: Whooping Cranes Return to Aransas Pass: Join us for an Edutainment Experience! Hosted by La Risa Rios and Richard Gonzales of the Science and Spanish Club Network. Featuring live music by Promesa al Sol, a live exotic bird from the South Texas Botantical Gardens and Nature Center, a whooping crane tribute performance by puppetry team, Zero Untitled Productions, called “My Friend, Mr. Crane,” concluding with a Four Wind Blessing from the indigenous Raramuris Tradition.

Update! Screenshot photos (sorry) from a filmed version of the first performance!

Here are some photos from the event!

Under the direction of Daniel Rodriquez, Zero Untitled proudly presents two new music videos promoting the recent release of the Down Chamber and Infernal Symphony split record “Mea Tulpa”, on Dungeon Squid Productions.

Infernal Symphony’s “Mind Palace Manifestation” is a reimaged edit using footage from the classic 1922 horror masterpiece “Nosferatu”. Down Chamber’s video runs the gamut of a psychological horror piece. Both videos are available on Youtube or viewable on this post.

We have a slew of different things happening over the next few months including: HoRrOR theatre, hilarious improv comedy, wEiRd puppetry, short films, and more! So, we will be having some outdoor rehearsals this coming week in an effort to get more folks involved!

The outdoor rehearsal schedule will be 7:00 pm:
Aug 20th – near Javelina Dining Hall
Aug 21st – near Mesquite Village West

If any of the above interest you, come watch OR participate! Then let’s not forget the improv comedy show by Premature Punchline on the 28th at Hatters Beverage Company (all ages).

Zero Untitled’s 180th production, “Kooky at the Comedy Club” has been released on YouTube! Another attempt at the Brazilian lambe-lambe style of puppetry theatre, this more mature work is targeting adult audiences. The show features the voice talents of Julio Martinez and Katherine Orozco-Verderber! Give it a watch and do check out the rest of the cast info on the show page.

Fresh off of some slams in Toronto, Denver, and Oklahoma City, there is no rest for the puppet wicked! Pick-ed…? We are preparing our new show “Attempting Bunraku” our brand-new interactive puppetry. “Attempting Bunraku” will allow audience members to join us on stage to learn the fundamentals of bunraku; audience members will be invited up to attempt to learn a bit about the craft of bunraku alongside Zero Untitled puppeteers. They will be given tasks to perform so that they learn a bit about the bunraku experience. Make no mistake: we are not trying to live up to the talents of the Masters, but only trying to share in the puppetry experience.

In addition to prescribed tasks drawn from a hat, we will entertain audience suggestions. This will be an educational and immersive experience. The show is set to premiere at the Texas State Museum of Asian Cultures & Education Center, July 5 from 6-9pm on rotation.

Direction and Puppet Design – Michael Verderber

Puppeteers – Aubrey Gracia, Diego Trevino, Kazi Sola, Katherine Orozco-Verderber

Click on these AFTER May 24, 2025 at 12:02 AM

Down Chamber – Drone Day 2025

https://youtu.be/82A7zhn3_sk

JUST ADDED! The track list for the Grey Clay Radio Drone Day Weekend Event has our song listed as number six on their playlist! Check it out for more details on their page: grey clay radio – DRONE DAY 2025

The 2025 edition of our annual collaboration with dungeon synth / experimental / dark classical music project Down Chamber has been filmed and is set for premiere! The video has been uploaded to YouTube but will premiere on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 12:01 AM in United States, Central time. Drone Day is an international event featuring artists all over the world embracing the drone music genre and its subgenres.