Each of these has been the subject of plays, as have some of the other most notorious mass shootings in the United States.
Friday, February 16, 2018
Mass Shootings on Stage: Healing or Titillating?
Each of these has been the subject of plays, as have some of the other most notorious mass shootings in the United States.
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This is a really important thing to talk about. The writer of the article is obviously dedicated to finding the good and the bad in shows that deal with the topic of mass shootings, and I really appreciate the in-depth and multifaceted commentary they provide. This really reminds me of the movie that just came out called “My Friend Dahmer,” which tells the story of Jeffrey Dahmer, one of the most infamous serial killers in American history. I really question if this movie is okay. Jeffrey Dahmer was incredibly mentally ill, obviously, to drive him, a human, to do these things. Of course he did terrible things that should not be forgiven. He was past the point of no return, it seems. But is it really right to capitalize off of this man's tortured, impossibly dark, psychologically deranged, and hellish life? Human interest in morbidity and love for gawking at people and things that are disgusting or disturbing to us… I feel like we should try to control it so those who are being gawked at have a chance for help.
“I always thought this piece would be an answer to the notorious question: Why?….I was afraid we would never find an answer….” I think this message in the forward of “columbinus” by P.J. Paparelli is the exact reason why theatre that deals with topics like this one takes place. Political theatre is so important- particularly when done right and well- and it is used as a motive for finding answers. We ask “why?” Why no gun reform? Why no mental healthcare? Why are we standing by? Why are we waiting for the next one? Why is this happening? Why students? Why children? Why in schools? Why? And in all honesty, there is no clear cut, direct answer to this question, because the “why” is different to each person, but the “why” is also the motivation for actual progress and actual change. What happened in Parkland less than two weeks ago, was absolutely horrendous, and now we as a society must face the why, and deal with it as a whole. As a society, we need to change from the mindset of “why is this happening” to “how can this never happen again”.
This topic is, horrifyingly, an extremely timely and relevant discussion. There is such a fine line in exploring narratives of this sensitive topic, as a play can either delve in-depth into the impact and implications of a school shooting or, as the article states, capitalize on the “drama” of it. While some plays the author lists attempt to answer the question of “why” a shooting occurs, I don’t know that this is something that can ever truly be answered onstage or otherwise. While the discussion of gun control is one I’m extremely passionate about, I also don’t know if I would be able to actually witness a re-creation of it in a play. There would need to be adequate trigger warnings before and during the show to warn audience members of the content. It seems like these plays the article lists are an extremely narrow hit or miss, and I'm not sure if creating a play about gun violence that turns out to be a miss is truly worth it.
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