My latest play, Bystanders, takes place in the aftermath of a horrific act of gun violence. It’s a two-hander exploring an intimate story dealing with guns in America. This is a tough topic that was not consciously on my radar. The play presented itself to me almost completely fully-formed, with a number of clear reversals inside its tight, 75-minute, real-time framework. Needless to say, I’m setting aside comedy for this one.
In the wake of a tragic and senseless act of gun violence, two women strive to connect through their grief and guilt. Zayne is determined to learn if Hannah could have foreseen the shooting, or even have prevented it. Hannah has a secret, daring idea to end the violence once and for all. But will her plan work? Or might it create even more trauma? Inside a culture that’s become numb to the horror of everyday shootings, two women struggle to come to terms with their duties as bystanders.
I’ll be working on this piece during the Fall session of the Central Works Writers’ Group.