Table of Contents
Introduction Annie Thoms 1
In memoriam 17
Foreword David Levithan 18
Chronology of events 26
Act 1
Overture 35
Piece of my home-Ilya Feldsherov Catherine Choy 45
Bag man-Max Willens Tim Drinan 55
Golden state-Renée Levine Carlos Williams 61
Big kids-Aleiya Gafar Shanleigh Jalea 69
Special-Matt Polazzo Shanleigh Jalea 79
Turning point-Anonymous Female Dining Hall Worker Chantelle Smith 87
This time-Renée Levine Carlos Williams 93
Precious cargo-Katherine Fletcher Anna Belc 101
Facing north-Hudson Williams-Eynon Liz O'Callahan 109
Slide show-Juan Carlos Lopez Marcel Briones 113
Everybody was a freshman-Katie Berringer Taresh Batra 123
Heartless-Kevin Zhang Christopher M. Yee 129
You need hope-Hector Perez and Haydee Sanabria Marcel Briones 133
A very intriguing train-Eddie Kalletta Christopher M. Yee 141
Act 2
Things below, things above-Mira Rapp-Hooper Anna Belc 147
Safety net-Max Willens Tim Drinan 153
Tender lovin'-Owen Cornwall Catherine Choy 169
Wake-up call-Eddie Kalletta Christopher M. Yee 173
Powerless-Jukay Hsu Shanleigh Jalea 179
I live my life here-Anonymous Male Custodian Chantelle Smith 187
What matters-Tony Qian Tim Drinan 201
We run dis school-Alejandro Torres Hernandez Carlos Williams 209
Amazingly resilient-Jennifer Suri Catherine Choy 213
Fearing for your safety-Mohammad Haque Taresh Batra 223
Missing wings-Kerneth Levigion Liz O'Callahan 231
Original production notes 238
Notes on staging 240
Reflection Anna Deavere Smith 243
Acknowledgments 254