Plays teaches important lessons about bullying

Students get a chance to direct a play

The Tri-City United High School’s spring play this weekend is actually a collection of nine plays called “The Bullying Collection,” written by a series of authors that were asked to write a 10-minute play based on their take on bullying.

A few students, six of them in pairs, also got the opportunity to direct one of the nine plays fully — with some oversight from Director Sarah Mejia. It was a unique opportunity in teaching many lessons to students but also for students to put their touch on the topic of bullying, relating to their own experiences.

“We’re in charge of the sets, the blocking, casting, and all of that — but just for those shows,” said junior Dakota Meadows. “We made all the casting decisions, costuming and set design. All of that stuff.” Meadows, with Audrey Keltgen, is directing “Reunited and It Feels So Good” by Kendra Martin.

Meadows continued, “It’s a really good opportunity for us to be able to have a lot of leadership and responsibility without having to be on our own. We can go to the other two directors. We can go to Mejia or (Amy) Alberg or anyone for help.”

Senior Olivia Skluzacek said, “I didn’t expect to be able to cast my own show.” Skluzacek is directing “Frosh in the Pit” by Alan Haehnel with senior John Titus.

“It’s a different experience than being on stage, because we are all used to being on stage,” said Titus. “That alone is a separate set of eyes, and it’s weird seeing it all unfold.”

Titus is the only one of the three students quoted above who isn’t acting one of the other plays. Skluzacek is in one of the other plays and Meadows is in four of them as actors.

Skluzacek said, “I think some of the cast has struggled with taking direction from their peers. “I had to be the bad guy once,” said Titus. “It’s just more of a commitment now, and it’s cool to understand that now.”

“Everything that we’ve used in our show was from what we have in the back. We repurposed a lot. All the costumes are repurposed,” said Skluzacek. “It’s also easier because it's a modern play so people can bring in costume pieces from home.”

The content matter of the plays is very relevant to everyone, and bullying is presented in different scenarios. “I think it highlights different types of bullying and different consequences from those types of bullying. Like it ranges from cyber bullying and your stereotypical beating someone up and how that affects them later in life. You see it in ‘Reunited and It Feels So Good,’ where a bunch of kids get back together and they’re recounting their high school bullies and they get some closure,” said Skluzacek. “Then there are other instances where they don’t get closure and they maybe commit suicide.”

Titus likes the play “I Was There.” He said, “I like the message behind ‘I Was There.’ Obviously, we are in the middle of nowhere Minnesota, but like in America there are so many gun problems that happen, especially in schools. Just getting that word out and making sure that people know that it’s real and it happens. People go through it all the time. That’s why I like that one. I don’t like it because it’s dark and scary. I like it because of the message it puts out.” Meadows said, “I feel like there’s a lot you can learn by watching it.”

“Bullying is a real thing that happens all the time. It’s a part of life that shouldn’t be around but it is. I feel if more people know about the consequences then we wouldn’t live in such a nasty mean place,” said Titus.

All three students say they have all been bullied and believe...

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...the three thespians have done 40 shows at Tri-City United Schools: Titus participating in 11, Meadows in 12, and Skluzacek 17. Skluzacek and Titus started together in seventh grade. Meadows started in first grade and has done between 30-40 shows counting participation in Child’s Play Theatre, Generation’s Theatre and her shows at Holy Redeemer Catholic School.

You can see “The Bully Collection” this Friday and Saturday, April 4-5, at 7 p.m., and on Sunday, April 6, at 2 p.m. General admission tickets are available at the door or online vancoevents.com/us/eventlist/tricity.

To learn more about bullying and prevention, visit stopbullying.gov.