By Kira Stussy, Tumwater High School intern to ThurstonTalk
The hushed chatter of excited friends, family members, and guests filled the dark room as they eagerly waited for the show to begin. Eerie music played in the background, setting the solemn and disturbing mood. There was enthusiasm in the air, people curious to see what the night had in store for them.
Suddenly, the music stopped and two actors took the stage. One boy and one girl, both straight-faced with apathetic expressions present on their young features. All of the whispers and rustlings in the audience abruptly ended. Stillness. The once antsy crowd was now deafeningly silent. All eyes were on the two figures onstage, wondering what they would say, what they would do.
Throughout the entire one hour and forty-five minute show, I am not sure if I even took the time to blink, fearing that if I did I would miss even the most minute detail. I was no longer sitting on a cushioned seat in Capital Playhouse, I was sucked into the world being performed before me. The actors were not actors, they were real people, with stories and lives. As the show was starting, I laughed when jokes were cracked and listened intently when character’s poured their hearts out in deep and meaningful monologues.
Despite the first scene, the play thus far had been generally light and cheerful with plenty of humor integrated into the dialogue. The characters were relatable and real, in fact, many of them reminded me of some of the kids who attend my very own high school. It was not until later in the play that I could be sure demented and terrible events were guaranteed to occur. I knew it was coming, yet fear still struck my heart like an icy cold dagger the first time he pulled the trigger.
I have heard of this sort of thing happening of course, you would have to live under a rock to not know about the tragedies like Sandy Hook Elementary or Columbine. Hearing about such horrible events has always made my blood go cold. But the utter despair and shock that pierced my chest as I witnessed teens senselessly murdered was more than I could bear. Tears streamed down my cheeks as the gun fired again, and again, and again. Bang!
No matter how many times he pulled out the gun during the show, I cowered and flinched every time he aimed the barrel. I expected to mourn the victims, what I did not expect was to pity the shooter as well. With an inside look into the gunman’s life and hardships he endured, his depression was actually understandable. You see his suffering as he trudges down his high school’s hallways, being picked on by bullies. You understand his angst as you witness how cruel his older brother is.
Even though the play was set up to show the thoughts and feelings of the shooter and help the audience to understand his point of view, I still cannot fathom the idea that anyone could ever kill another human being. Bullying is never okay and the kids who picked on the gunman were wrong to do so, bullying deteriorates confidence and, clearly, can push people to commit serious acts of violence. These acts of violence are horrifying, even if someone has been bullied; I cannot comprehend what kinds of thoughts would go through that person’s mind that would have given them assurance that killing their peers is justified and the correct way to solve the problem.
What pains me more is that the gunner went in with only one purpose: fire as many times as you can at as many people as you can. Replaying the image in my mind forces my stomach to churn and contract, watching so many fall and never get back up.
This is a great lesson, especially for teens who try so hard to fit in, who put others down in order to improve their own social status. The fact is that being mean will get you nowhere in life and it certainly will never make you “cool”. People need to think about how their words and actions are affecting others. School shootings are a sickening reality in our messed-up world. I only pray that something so horrendous, demented, ghastly never happens at my school.
As the performance concluded and the dim lights illuminated the room once more, I was able to examine my fellow audience members. Some got up, as if in a daze, not speaking to one another as they floated to the exit. Others remained in their seats, as if too stunned to move. Every person who had just viewed the play was obviously affected by what they had seen.
I was among those who left, my face still contorted in shock. I knew if I stared at the stage any longer I risked tears, I needed to process what I had just seen.
“American Roulette” is a powerful performance that is thought and tear provoking. Although the language and content is meant for a mature audience, I found it to be an amazing play and it certainly gave me a lot to ponder and a lot to fear.
November 14-17 and 21-23 at 8 p.m. with a matinee on November 24 at 2 p.m.
Capital Playhouse, 612 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia
Tickets are $12 at the door or in advance at brownpapertickets.com.
More information can be found at Theater Artists Olympia or Animal Fire Theater.
