About
Playwright's Note | Mission Statement | Production History | Schools
Playwright's Note
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On April 20th, 1999, at Columbine High School, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold shot and killed 12 classmates and a teacher, before killing themselves. They wounded 24 others. I, like so many Americans, was shocked and deeply disturbed watching the media coverage that horrible day. I felt I had to do something. So, I flew out to Littleton, Colorado to talk to members of the community. Over the span of a year, I made seven trips, and I spoke with more than 60 people, including injured students, a young woman who was friends with both the killers and one of the victims, the parents of the only African-American student who was murdered, police officers, the pastor at the scene, teachers, and reporters.
The entire text of the play is taken from my interviews, except for the words of Eric, Dylan, and one of the victims, which are taken from their journals. There are twenty-six characters in the play. |
In 1999, immediately after the massacre at Columbine, I felt a line in the sand had been drawn that our country would never cross again. Unfortunately, since 1999, there have been more than 200 school shootings in the United States.
This has become a national epidemic and our new normal. Our society seems content to observe the violence, but takes no effective steps to end it. I had hoped that the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT would have been a tipping point for Americans to take action. I feel A LINE IN THE SAND is more relevant now than ever and that this play has the power to create a dialogue, which is the first step toward awareness and social change.
One of my goals with the play is to help students understand the personal impact of gun violence and bullying. Theater has the unique power to not only make students think, but to make them feel empathy in an immediate and intimate way. Empathy can lead to positive change.
Playwright's Note | Mission Statement | Production History | Schools
Mission Statement
The mission of my work with A Line in the Sand is to try and make a difference by starting a dialogue about how we can stop this national epidemic of school shootings. Too many young people have died from this senseless gun violence. An average of 8 young people die per day in the U.S. from gunfire. We must make a change. We must admit there is a problem, and then look for solutions together.
Every performance of the play is followed by a post-show discussion with students, educators, and parents about the many issues raised by Columbine, including bullying, cliques, easy access to guns, parenting, violence in the media, conflict resolution, and how to build a more compassionate school community.
Some positive actions we can take:
Join a local gun violence prevention group
Spend more time talking with our children
Schools can work on building a more compassionate community
Work on conflict resolution skills
Limit exposure to violent media
Help to make mental health resources available to all
My goal is to reach as large an audience as possible of both young people and adults.
We all need to work together to keep our children safe. For many years, I have performed A Line in the Sand in theater festivals and in high schools. I would like to perform at colleges and universities as well.
Playwright's Note | Mission Statement | Production History | Schools
Playwright's Note | Mission Statement | Production History | Schools
Schools that have seen A Line in the Sand include:
Summit High School (NJ)
Murray Bergstrom High School (NYC)
Bronx High School of Science (NYC)
Parsippany Hills High School (NJ)
Alfred E. Smith High School (NYC)
Lewis Mills High School (CT)
William H. Hall High School (CT)
Glastonbury High School (CT)
La Jolla Country Day School (CA)
After school programs:
re:Action (New Yorkers Against Gun Violence)
at The High School for Public Service and at Community League of the Heights (CLOTH)
For the post show discussions at the Midtown International Theatre Festival in 2007, we had several panels of experts with the following speakers:
| Edie Smith, Director |
Million Mom March NYC |
| Jackie Kuhls, former Executive Director |
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (NYAGV) |
| Vilma Torres, Director |
Families of Homicide Victims Programs at Safe Horizon |
| Andy Pelosi, Executive Director |
Gun Free Kids |
| Vida Toppin |
Mother of gun violence victim |
| Allison Asher |
Montclair High School Alumna and member of SFAST (Students for a Safer Tomorrow) |
| Frank Scandale, Editor |
The Bergen Record |
| Nicola Bocour |
Reaction Youth Program at NYAGV |
| Caroline Donovan |
Montclair High School Alumna and member of SFAST |
| Kim Rittberg, Associate Producer |
Inside Edition |
| Ralph Larkin, Author |
Comprehending Columbine |
| Debbie Larkin |
Conflict resolution specialist |
At the Stop Gun Violence NOW Theater Festival in 2012, we had several panels of experts with the following speakers:
| Andrew Woods, Executive Director |
Communities That Care (Hartford, CT) |
| Ashley Marinaccio, Co-Founder and Artistic Director |
Girl Be Heard |
| Jessica Morris, Co-Founder and Executive Director |
Girl Be Heard |
| Jackie Rowe Adams, Founder and Executive Director |
Harlem Mothers SAVE |
| Hakim Yamadi, Executive Director |
Save Our Streets, South Bronx |
| Christopher Ryan, Head of the Violent Crimes Unit |
Manhattan D.A.'s Office |
| Leah Gunn Barrett, Executive Director |
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence |
| Po Murray, Executive Director |
Newtown Action Alliance |
| Wendy Syzmanski, Chapter Head, Greater NYC |
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America |
| Marie Delus |
Moms Demand Action |
| Kim Russell, National Director of Outreach |
Moms Demand Action |
| Jamie Abelson, Deputy State Coordinator |
Organizing for Action |
| Donna Dees Thomases, Founder |
Million Mom March |
| Vilma Torres, Director |
Safe Horizon |
| Neil Heslin |
Father of Newtown victim, Jesse Lewis |
| Dr. Robin Goodman |
A Caring Hand Billy Esposito Foundation |
| Anne Santa, School Psychologist |
The Bank Street School for Children |
Playwright's Note | Mission Statement | Production History | Schools |
