Scarpetta: This Fleeting, Sacred Mess
Publication information:
Abstract
Scarpetta: This Fleeting, Sacred Mess is a multi-layered theatrical performance exploring death, legacy, and the fragile, often absurd, search for meaning. The play follows Eliseo, a queer, neurodivergent minister and artist, hosting a dinner party where reality fractures—revealing ghosts of his past, existential reckonings, and the question of what remains after we are gone. Through humor, surrealism, and deeply personal reflections, the performance engages spirituality as an embodied experience, interrogating how we confront impermanence and create meaning in a collapsing world. Accompanying the performance will be a visual art installation reflecting the play’s themes, featuring collaborative and interactive elements.
Presenter Biography
Israel Buffardi is a Unitarian Universalist minister, artist, and proud papa whose work explores meaning-making, mortality, and sacred connection. With a background in theatre, food justice, and restorative justice, his ministry embraces art, absurdity, and ritual as pathways to community and transformation. He currently serves the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock.