Bang Bang You're Dead
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- For the 1966 comedy film with the alternative release title "Bang! Bang! You're Dead!", see Our Man in Marrakesh.
| Bang Bang You're Dead | |
 Poster from a Bang Bang You're Dead production in Pittsburg, Kansas. |
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| Written by | William Mastrosimone |
|---|---|
| Date premiered | April 9, 1999 |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | School violence |
| Official site | |
Bang Bang You're Dead is the title of a play by William Mastrosimone, and is strongly based on the events surrounding Kip Kinkel.
Contents |
[edit] The play
This play was made to show and end violence and teasing between teenagers in schools. When the play was performed for the first time, more than 100,001 downloads from internet occurred of the video play and many other schools around the world began to perform the play. The play centers on the lead character Josh, a teenage boy who shoots his parents and five schoolmates and is then haunted by physical manifestations of his memories of them.
[edit] The film
The film, which aired on Showtime, revolves around a teenager named Trevor who threatened to blow up the football team at his school because he was pushed to breaking point by frequent bullying. The movie is set months after, where students are creeped out by him, and think he's going to blow up the school. He is chosen to star in a play called Bang Bang You're Dead as the main character, Josh. After parents hear of the play and its suspicious actor, they call for it to be cancelled.
The film also shows Trevor (played by Ben Foster) making friends with the Trogs, a group of outcasts. Towards the end of the film they attempt a school massacre, using a shotgun and two handguns. Knowing of their plot and fearing for the safety of a fellow student/love interest, he stops them.
The film ends with Trevor performing the play, and it is indicated that the play was performed at the school despite parents' objections. There is no indication as to what happens to the Trogs.
The film won a Peabody Award and four 2003 Daytime Emmy awards, including Outstanding Children's Special.
[edit] Notes
- Bang Bang You're Dead was written in the wake of the school massacres that occurred in Paducah, Jonesboro, and Springfield to raise awareness about school violence. It supports the school violence charity Ribbon of Promise.
- The first production of this play was April 9, 1999, eleven days prior to the Columbine High School massacre. Coincidentally, the April 9 of 1999 was also the 18th (and final) birthday of Eric Harris, one of the Columbine perpetrators.
- It has been performed widely in the United States, as well as in other countries such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Uruguay, Gibraltar, Sweden, Romania, Venezuela, India, Canada, Brazil, Germany, Bulgaria, and in Portugal by a group of students of the Secondary School of Ramada. As the playwright intends Bang Bang You're Dead to raise awareness of school violence, it may be performed without payment of royalties, as long as the performance is not for profit, and subject to certain other conditions.
- The most powerful line of all: I wanted to kill you, but I didn't want you dead."
