Dedicated to the memory of Deandre Matthews, 19 years old, killed February 6, 2023.
What if young people everywhere in the US cried out on stages large and small across America, begging for peace and an end to the epidemic of gun violence they live in? Would we listen? Would we finally change the bloody status quo?
From the Principal’s office to a college dorm, from a 911 call center to a recording studio, we witness the violence guns make possible.
The plays are The Smiles Behind by Niarra C. Bell (Virginia), A Call for Help by Pepper Fox (Kentucky), Lightning Strike by HJ Kennedy (North Carolina), A Disorderly House by Sam Lee Victor (New Jersey), No Prospering Weapons by Justin Cameron Washington (Michigan) and The Matter at Hand by Valentine Wulf (Washington). Led by its creator Michael Cotey and Joaquin Oliver, Artistic Producer, the ENOUGH! initiative calls on teens to confront gun violence by creating new works of theatre that will spark critical conversations and inspire meaningful action in communities across the country.
Out of 244 plays by High School and Middle School students, these six were chosen to be performed in communities everywhere across the nation on November 6th, 2023 in staged readings. Their voices represent the youth of America, those who were trained from an early age to hide from gunfire that could be a threat even in their schools. Gun Violence is now the leading cause of death among children in the US. These plays reflect youth experiences and those of their communities.
