Comments on: How to end my play? http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/how-to-end-my-play/ A Home for Theatrefolk's Amazing Playwrights Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:54:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lindsay Price http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/how-to-end-my-play/#comment-3015 Lindsay Price Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:45:51 +0000 http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/?p=2990#comment-3015 Thank you for sharing your story. It's amazing what kids will do isn't it? I just could never figure out what I'd ever done to deserve such meanness. It takes a long time to discover yourself as a human being after being treated like so much less than one. Thank you for sharing your story. It’s amazing what kids will do isn’t it? I just could never figure out what I’d ever done to deserve such meanness. It takes a long time to discover yourself as a human being after being treated like so much less than one.

]]> By: Lois http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/how-to-end-my-play/#comment-3010 Lois Mon, 22 Mar 2010 05:40:34 +0000 http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/?p=2990#comment-3010 I like a lot of Allison's ideas. I too was a frequent bullee and when I tried to get help from teachers or parents, the situations were only made worse. It certainly took a lot of years for me to be "ok" with what happened, and that was with switching schools and going through counselling. I would love to see something in the ending that has the bullee finding something they are good at or love to do and that they are able to love & respect themself despite the bullying around them. Showing the kids that being happy with who they are is important and possible even in the midst of trying times. Last year I shared my story as a part of BC Anti-Bullying Day. You can find it at http://hummingbird604.com/2009/02/25/a-personal-story-on-experiencing-bullying-first-hand-guest-post-by-lois/ I like a lot of Allison’s ideas. I too was a frequent bullee and when I tried to get help from teachers or parents, the situations were only made worse.

It certainly took a lot of years for me to be “ok” with what happened, and that was with switching schools and going through counselling.

I would love to see something in the ending that has the bullee finding something they are good at or love to do and that they are able to love & respect themself despite the bullying around them. Showing the kids that being happy with who they are is important and possible even in the midst of trying times.

Last year I shared my story as a part of BC Anti-Bullying Day. You can find it at http://hummingbird604.com/2009/02/25/a-personal-story-on-experiencing-bullying-first-hand-guest-post-by-lois/

]]> By: Lindsay Price http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/how-to-end-my-play/#comment-3008 Lindsay Price Sat, 20 Mar 2010 22:26:44 +0000 http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/?p=2990#comment-3008 Thank you so much for your responses! Lots to think about.... Thank you so much for your responses! Lots to think about….

]]> By: Bradley Walton http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/how-to-end-my-play/#comment-3007 Bradley Walton Sat, 20 Mar 2010 22:20:01 +0000 http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/?p=2990#comment-3007 My suggestion would be to have the protagonist come to some kind of realization of why the bully is the way the bully is; that the bully has his/her own problems/insecurities and bullying is how the bully copes with his/her shortcomings. It's not a resolution, but it provides an ending note by giving the protagonist a new perspective that he/she didn't have before. My suggestion would be to have the protagonist come to some kind of realization of why the bully is the way the bully is; that the bully has his/her own problems/insecurities and bullying is how the bully copes with his/her shortcomings. It’s not a resolution, but it provides an ending note by giving the protagonist a new perspective that he/she didn’t have before.

]]> By: Billy Houck http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/how-to-end-my-play/#comment-3005 Billy Houck Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:45:49 +0000 http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/?p=2990#comment-3005 yeah. this is why there are three endings in Huge Hands. I like some kind of dignity as the solution. The bullying itself doesnt change, it cant, except on a personal level. It's up to the victim to rise above victimbood. as Elanor Roosevelt said, "nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission." yeah.
this is why there are three endings in Huge Hands.
I like some kind of dignity as the solution.
The bullying itself doesnt change, it cant, except on a personal level.
It’s up to the victim to rise above victimbood.
as Elanor Roosevelt said, “nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.”

]]> By: Allison Williams http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/how-to-end-my-play/#comment-3004 Allison Williams Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:17:05 +0000 http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/?p=2990#comment-3004 I was a bullying recipient all through middle and high school, the kind of insidious stuff that you look like an ass complaining about, but that really creates a hostile environment. The only thing that got better was getting older and living better. And I don't know how to show that in a play. You might glance through Please Stop Laughing at Me by Jodee Blanco - her book made it pretty big and I heard her on NPR the other day. Her biggest advice for parents that I found surprising and also true - "Stop telling your kid to ignore it. Kids don't work that way, and it just eggs the bullies on. To a kid, it's a sign that they're getting to the victim." Her advice to help the kid was to get them involved in activities in a different town, so that they'd have some friends OUTSIDE the existing circle. At the end of her book, Blanco goes to a reunion and the former bullies DON'T EVEN REMEMBER treating her badly. Emphasis mine. I don't think bullying is solvable inside the existing social circle unless something dramatic happens, like they get hit by a car or whatever. For me, I changed schools naturally in the move from middle to high school. I got leftover bullying in 9th grade, then joined the "weirdo drama kids" social group. The bullying slowed down in 10th grade and was mostly gone by 11th. It was a combination of people had better things to do with their time, it started to be OK to be smart as we all focused on college, I wasn't the only weird/literary kid in school, and I started to be respected as a school activist. Hmmm. Brainstorming: Victim reaches out to one friend, and it grows from there One adult backs victim and it grows from there Victim asks "why?' in words Victim becomes active in a way not related to the bullying that earns respect Victim leaves and it's just a sad play Victim flashes forward to starting the new day somewhere else next year and finds one friend. Feels like it's gotta be subtle, flicker of hope not Hallmark special (which it sounds like you already totally know). I don't know if it CAN be conveyed to a kid who's in it right now that they will survive and it will get better. I was 25 before I "got over it", maybe older than that. It still surprises me when people like me after meeting me. I'm apparently very "popular" as an adult - people tell me that a lot - but I still walk into most group situations assuming no-one's going to like me or want to have anything to do with me. Maybe an older person who went through a similar situation is an example of having survived. Can't wait to read this one, this is a hot button for me :) Allison I was a bullying recipient all through middle and high school, the kind of insidious stuff that you look like an ass complaining about, but that really creates a hostile environment. The only thing that got better was getting older and living better. And I don’t know how to show that in a play.

You might glance through Please Stop Laughing at Me by Jodee Blanco – her book made it pretty big and I heard her on NPR the other day. Her biggest advice for parents that I found surprising and also true – “Stop telling your kid to ignore it. Kids don’t work that way, and it just eggs the bullies on. To a kid, it’s a sign that they’re getting to the victim.” Her advice to help the kid was to get them involved in activities in a different town, so that they’d have some friends OUTSIDE the existing circle. At the end of her book, Blanco goes to a reunion and the former bullies DON’T EVEN REMEMBER treating her badly. Emphasis mine.

I don’t think bullying is solvable inside the existing social circle unless something dramatic happens, like they get hit by a car or whatever.

For me, I changed schools naturally in the move from middle to high school. I got leftover bullying in 9th grade, then joined the “weirdo drama kids” social group. The bullying slowed down in 10th grade and was mostly gone by 11th. It was a combination of people had better things to do with their time, it started to be OK to be smart as we all focused on college, I wasn’t the only weird/literary kid in school, and I started to be respected as a school activist.

Hmmm. Brainstorming:
Victim reaches out to one friend, and it grows from there
One adult backs victim and it grows from there
Victim asks “why?’ in words
Victim becomes active in a way not related to the bullying that earns respect
Victim leaves and it’s just a sad play
Victim flashes forward to starting the new day somewhere else next year and finds one friend.

Feels like it’s gotta be subtle, flicker of hope not Hallmark special (which it sounds like you already totally know).

I don’t know if it CAN be conveyed to a kid who’s in it right now that they will survive and it will get better. I was 25 before I “got over it”, maybe older than that. It still surprises me when people like me after meeting me. I’m apparently very “popular” as an adult – people tell me that a lot – but I still walk into most group situations assuming no-one’s going to like me or want to have anything to do with me.

Maybe an older person who went through a similar situation is an example of having survived.

Can’t wait to read this one, this is a hot button for me :)

Allison

]]> By: Ty Unglebower http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/how-to-end-my-play/#comment-3003 Ty Unglebower Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:01:34 +0000 http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/?p=2990#comment-3003 Have the victim get shoved a few times near the end of the play, only to suddenly shove the bully back, even harder. At that point the bully could either walk off, or push back a few more times, weaker each time until he does walk off. The act is not violent per se, as there is no blood or injury, but for a silent theatrical show would stand in well to symbolize that the key to bullies is to not back down. It may deliver more of an an impact of the victim is surrounded by friends who just watch as the bullying goes on, but who join in the shoving back of the bully once the victim stands up. Maybe surround the bully with a circle of freshly emboldened student, and push him around the circle like a ball or something at random until he runs off. The lesson represented would be that sometimes other fundamentally good people need a bit of an example from a leader to do the right thing eventually. Have the victim get shoved a few times near the end of the play, only to suddenly shove the bully back, even harder. At that point the bully could either walk off, or push back a few more times, weaker each time until he does walk off.

The act is not violent per se, as there is no blood or injury, but for a silent theatrical show would stand in well to symbolize that the key to bullies is to not back down.

It may deliver more of an an impact of the victim is surrounded by friends who just watch as the bullying goes on, but who join in the shoving back of the bully once the victim stands up. Maybe surround the bully with a circle of freshly emboldened student, and push him around the circle like a ball or something at random until he runs off. The lesson represented would be that sometimes other fundamentally good people need a bit of an example from a leader to do the right thing eventually.

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