Sandburg HS play, 26 Pebbles, runs October 16-19

On October 17, 18, and 19 at 7:00 PM, Carl Sandburg High School proudly presents Eric Ulloa’s play 26 Pebbles. This docudrama centers on the impacts of the 2012 violent attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School that claimed the lives of twenty students, a behavior therapist, three teachers, a school psychologist, and the principal. The author created the script from the words shared by the community members of Newtown as they grieved and confronted the many questions that the tragedy forced them to ask. In the end a consensus emerges that some of these questions don’t have clear answers and that “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”

Tickets are available at boxoffice.d230.org.
$6 Students and Senior Citizens $8 Adults

Cast
Averey Bartley
Hannah Belair
Luke Castillo
Saffion Chung
Erin Depke
Aron Gomez
Maia Hawksworth
Siobhan Herrebout
Abby Hooks
Caroline Hooks
Tyler Jacobs
Avery Kelly
Esther Lee
Kyle Matchen
Mollie McCormick
Jason Suwaidan
John Yudt
Ysabella Zarate

Production Assistants
Marisa Arakelian
Annie Burns
Jacob Hardesty
Sophia Jimenez
Alexis Lyons
Maddie Parker
Gretchen Steenvoorden
Savannah Virgen
Maddie Zenner
Rachel Zimmer

Crew
Livvy Achterhof
Julia Ambrose
Emily Bargamian
Daniel Bilek
Kevin Danowski
Luke Florek
Anna Friel
Camryn Friel
James Friel
Cory Harding
Darla Harding
Simon Kruczak
Matthew Kubas
Patrick Kupiec
Olivija Lapp
Joey Leafblad
Jackson Macisaac
Sophia Marlow
Audrey Marx
Jack McQuinn
Kaila Nork
Maeve Parker
Kayla Rice
Greyson Sloan
Cooper Sullivan
Mark Sullivan

Student Responses to the following questions:What has being a part of this show meant to you?
What do you want the audience to take away from the performances?

Julia Ambrose, Grade 11
I can portray the story very well through building the set that sets the stage. That this is a very real and serious matter we should shed more light on even if the people affected are older they’re affected for the rest of their lives

Maia Hawksworth, Grade 10
Being a part of this show really helps me feel as if I can do something. Like, for example, I know so much more about the shooting in general, and things I could do to become more familiar and active within our society about school shootings in general. I don’t want the audience to see this show as a political stance, but as a motivation to do something in the community. People need to be more aware of what is going on around the country, and this show I think will really open peoples minds.

Saffion Chung , Grade 11
At first Sandy Hook to me was a tragic event that took place when I was in elementary school. Of course I was affected and abhorred the shooter, but it wasn’t until high school where more shootings occurred on a national scale that I realized this could happen to anyone and everyone. My eyes were opened to this fact and being part of this show has made me an advocate for the opposition of gun violence. This show helps spread an important message and should inspire and push audiences to create a safer world for the American people.
Through the dark and reverent themes of this show, the audience should realize that the story of Sandy Hook reoccurs every day in this country. Although these topics are typically avoided in the media and the public eye, if we don’t try to make a stand against gun violence and advocate for safer education systems then these events will become more frequent. The audience should push to make America a safer environment not only for the children going through these schools but also for the general population who suffers from this exact fear for their entire lives.

Esther Lee, Grade 12
It has meant a lot to me as a student and overall a person who wants the best for our society. I think this show is a good wakeup call or conversation starter on what’s been happening across the U.S. It has also personally taught me a lot about loss, hope, and action. What we do matters and I think this play matters so much. I want this to start conversations that would not occur because of uncomfortableness or controversy. It is really important for people to realize the detrimental effects of gun violence in America and and really reflect on what we as a collective nation and society should do.

Erin Depke, Grade 12
For me, this show is an opportunity to accomplish something bigger than myself. Before this show, I struggled with what I could do regarding gun control and the lack of action surrounding it; I felt like there wasn't anything I could really do that would really make an impact. 26 Pebbles has been an opportunity to make that impact. I want them to see the more personal and real side of gun violence. When you're constantly bombarded with numbers and statistics, it can be hard to comprehend that those are real people who lost someone. I think this play gives a lot of insight on what it's really like to lose someone to gun violence and is much more genuine.

Ysabella Zarate, Grade 12
I am stunned at this show! I’ve learned so much; this play really opened my eyes to the real world. It’s so sad that an event so brutal would occur just like that to children. But what even more surprising is how these people reacted, the impact that this event had on this town, the community came together and it gave them purpose more than they can ever imagine. It means a lot to be apart of a picture as beautiful as that. I want them to have a deeper understanding of what went on here in Newtown. This play is meant to honor those who have experienced such a tragic event as this. I hope they learn that through the darkest of times there is still hope and there will be light. This play differs from what the news showcases and it shows real people with real struggles. Even the shooter, Adam can be given more sympathy after watching this play. So hopefully they will go about their day with a piece of mind that anything can happen at anytime no matter who or where you are.

Averey Bartley, Grade 9
I have not only been able to reach outside of my comfort zone acting and character wise, but this show has taught me that there is so much love in communities, and that activism for mental health and against violence is very important. It never really occurred to me all of the terrible effects of these bad things that happen in the world, and this really gave me perspective- but also hope that in the bad things, there is light. I want the audience to take away that community is love, and awareness is important. I want to be able to impact the audience greatly with this message, and for them also to see that there is always hope in dark times.

Luke Florek, Grade 9
Trying something new and making something great to love them and know what happened that day

Abby Hooks, Grade 12
I am so glad I get to be in this show and remember all these innocent lives that were lost. It is such an uplifting show and I am so grateful we get to honor these children and their families. These are still big problems we have in America today—violence and mental health disorders. I hope that others realize that we need to do something about these problems and find strength in each other. I hope it inspires people to make a difference in their community and stand up for what they believe in.

Caroline Hooks, Grade 10
By being apart of this shows has meant a lot to me because it allows me to see this tragic event for a different point of view. It also allows me to really know what these people were feeling that day and how scary it really was. This show helped me know more about the event and the way it impacted this small town. It also teaches me that in times where things are hard that as a community you can come together and comfort each other. How events like these really affect a lot of people and that it can also have long term effects. I also want them to feel they know more about what happened that day and how it impacted the people there.

Mollie McCormick, Grade 11
It has put my own difficulties into perspective. Learning about the ways that the Newtown community processed such a tragedy continues to give me hope. I feel so proud that my cast-mates, directors, and school have chosen such a powerful topic to explore. Being a part of this show has truly perpetuated an important message among my peers. We need to facilitate places of kindness and hope every day and in every environment. Being in this show has made me confident in this message. I want the audience to understand that human beings are not exclusively good or evil. We all fall on a spectrum in between these concepts, depending on our words or actions. It is so important to be open minded to seeing both sides of any story. People who are unbelievably kind still have poor moments filled with regret, and the most infamously cruel people have kind moments, as well. I want the audience to understand that it is crucial to treat everyone with kindness and compassion, no matter where they fall on that spectrum. That is something within our individual control, despite any tragedy. In some cases, a reaction can be more powerful than the event itself.

Luke Castillo, Grade 10
This play has really opened my eyes to just the situation of what happened to Newtown as a whole. When the event occurred back in 2012, I was too young to pay attention to it. However, now I'm able to finally understand all of the suffering and pain this town had to go through, let alone how much suffering any town in the middle of a tragedy would experience. Being in this play has just made me feel like I should be doing something to fix this, that I shouldn't be silent any longer. I hope that in the future, I will be able to be more vocal on this issue so that we can stop all of this suffering across all of America, and hopefully past our borders as well. On a happier note, however, this play has also taught that hope still prevails, no matter how evil the world may seem. Since we're doing a play to honor the citizens of Newtown and to share their stories, it made me realize that this issue NEEDS to be discussed. Our world today is not much different than 7 years ago, and while it is terrible, we still have to find a way to fix this. I hope that our play will inspire people to take this issue more personally, so we can finally put this era of gun violence behind us to a brighter tomorrow.

John Yudt, Grade 10
Being a part of this show has meant a lot to me. It has opened my eyes to what communities affected by school shootings go through. I want the audience to know that no matter what challenge or tragedy they may face, there is always hope.

Avery Kelly, Grade 9
Being a part of this show overall has taught me to be so much more aware. I've been able to see the affects of a true tragedy, and what something terrible can do to a community. I want to do everything I can now, to prevent school shootings worldwide from happening. I am so grateful for being a part of this show, because I have become so much more educated on this tragic act and much more. I want the audience to take away a lot from the performances. Mainly, for them to be more aware and able to recognize signs of possible shootings. I want the go home taking nothing for granted. A community can be completely destroyed in minutes, as demonstrated in the play. The more people are educated, the more they can do to take action and stop school shootings.

Kyle Matchen, Grade 10
Being part of this show has meant a lot to me to be able to experience more emotion I have ever had to in a show before. And to think about how these people must have felt. That even after a tragedy as horrible as this one, we can get through it.