Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy

27 Martin Luther King Jr, Blvd

Elizabeth, NJ 07201

United States

A Satire, Written and arranged by Angela Kariotis and members of the devised theater cohort Directed by Theo Perkins

In a world grappling with the sobering reality of gun violence (heartbeat), the stage becomes a mirror reflecting the complexities of human behavior and society’s struggles.

While the subject matter itself is undeniably grave, satire provides an avenue to dissect the absurdities, contradictions, and hypocrisies that surround the discourse on guns. By exaggerating these aspects through humor, satire allows us to dissect the intricacies of society’s relationship with firearms – from the political wrangling over regulations to the glorification of violence. We chose satire and comedy to protect our own well-being too, we will not display our traumas, our cries, and our pleas–because that has not worked. When 21 little first graders were blown away in Connecticut, and white children at that, when that moment did not work to affect any change, what will? The only thing that happened was the continuous community based gun violence effectively ignored for decades because of systemic racism and more shootings, this time, 4th graders, in Uvalde.

Through laughter, discomfort, and self-reflection, satire provides a lens to confront the underlying factors that perpetuate gun violence. The root of the problem is necessary to explore because we believe gun violence is a public health crisis, not a criminal justice issue. We thank the police for working with us on this work. We all have a role in public safety. We all play a role in keeping each other safe.

Our play seeks to ignite conversations that may otherwise remain buried beneath the weight of statistics and sorrow.
The characters that will grace the stage are not caricatures, but rather vessels through which we explore the shades of humanity – from the victims and perpetrators to the policymakers and armchair critics. We are challenged to contemplate the role we play in the perpetuation or prevention of this epidemic. Instead of frozen in shock, let’s take… ACTION! PLACES PLACES…Take your PLACE. Where do YOU stand?