Pozzo — Sophia Johnson

Pozzo is the story of a man who quite literally has to claw his way into existence, emerging from a cardboard box to take his place in a surreal world populated with drag queens and angel boys, a guardian bunny and a tutu-wearing poodle. Naked and newly formed, the godlike Pozzo is a blank canvas ready to be painted by whatever experiences he encounters.

So he goes about collecting experiences -- wild, fantastical experiences. Working on a tugboat, becoming a disco dancer, being mistaken for an island god -- all of these diversions lead him down knotted paths of self-discovery, paths that are illuminating, both for himself and for every colorful character he comes in contact with.

Like all good fantasies, Pozzo pushes beyond what is real to reveal what is true. Told, variously, in Shakespearean English, a Brooklyn accent, and song lyrics, it's a rollicking saga that explores the absurdities -- and the commonalities -- that come with being human.