TAMPA, Fla. — On Monday, Nov. 6, an event is taking place that includes more than 70 theater groups across over 30 different states. They’ll all be reading the same series of plays on the same night to raise awareness of the same important topic: gun violence.
Think Tank Theatre is the local Tampa group participating in "Enough!," which is now in its third year.
The actors said it’s different than any other performance they’ve done.
“With all the plays being written by teenagers and to be done in 30 states simultaneously, that is a very exciting thing,” said actor Ned Avrill-Snell.
Out of more than 200 short plays submitted by teens nationwide, six of them were chosen to be read live by 76 theater groups across the country.
“We’re all sharing the same words with different actors—professionals to community actors to youth actors," said actor and director Patrick Arthur Jackson. "Sharing these stories and lifting those voices really allows the community across the country to come together under one great cause."
“Really, really insightful, sharp plays, these kids are thinking hard about this issue, and they feel passionately about that, and that's coming through in their work,” said Avrill-Snell.
These actors all agree in one shape or form that we are all affected by this topic.
“I am raising a 13-year-old almost 200 pound 5-foot-10 Black boy, and so we know that gun violence has definitely impacted the African American community and in particular young Black men,” said actor Randi J. Norman. "So this is very important to me."
“Gun violence affects my everyday life," said actor Stella Duncan. "I go to public school; we have active shooter drills pretty much every month, and it really makes me think."
“We have such a good, talented group of people who all kind of see this issue from a different lens but recognize that we need to approach it with empathy, sensitivity and honesty in our work,” said actor William Barba.
Following the plays, there will also be a group discussion between the actors, the audience and community leaders on the front lines of the issue.
“It’s about what the audience heard too, and what they felt. It's really more of a communal event that’s also led by these play readings,” said actor and Think Tank Producing Artistic Director Georgia Mallory Guy. “It’s really a historical kind of event if you think about it."
The play is free to attend and will take place on Monday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m. at Stageworks Theatre in Channel Side. For more information, go to www.thinktanktya.org.
