columbinus

columbinus is a play sparked by the April 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado, probes the psychological warfare of alienation, hostility and social pressure that goes on in high schools across America.

Information

Created by the United States Theatre Project and written by Stephen Karam and PJ Paparelli. columbinus weaves together excerpts from discussions with parents, survivors and community leaders in Littleton as well as diaries and home video footage to bring to reveal what it refers to as "the dark recesses of American adolescence".

The first act of the play is set in a stereotypical, fictional American high school and follows the lives and struggles of eight teenage archetypes. These characters are not given names but labels, and the two outcast friends designated in the script as "Freak" and "Loner" are slowly driven to crime and madness by the bullying from their classmates. In act two, these boys become Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, in scenes taken from their videos and personal journals, illustrating the days approaching and including the shootings and the suspects' suicides. The other cast members become survivors and townspeople who reflect on the events.

The cast consists of five men and three women, including extensive doubling up with characters in brief roles as parents, teachers, guidance counselors, and other adults.

Characters

• Loner- Geek in the school who is picked on by his peers and neglected by his parents. Has a romantic fascination with Rebel, who views him as "not her first choice. Maybe not anyone's" In the Second Act, embodies Dylan Klebold.
• Freak- An angsty underdog with a chip on his shoulder and a chest deformity. He is ridiculed by his classmates, with the exception of AP, whom he detests. His father is an ex-military general woh is overly hard onn him. In the Second Act, embodies Eric Harris.
• AP (Advanced Placement)- The play's representation of pure kindness and good-heartedness. He is extremely intelligent, but fantasizes about having good looks, popularity, and athletic ability, which he can never have due to a life-threatening illness. He reaches out to the other students, and is a secret friend to most of them. He is the only character who the killers set free at the shootings.
• Rebel- Artistic and rough-talking teenager who finds a sort of kinship with loner. She thinks AP is noce, but that he is too pure-hearted and a "loser" for her taste. She denies rumors that she is goth or a druggie, but is seen making cuts into her arm in the First Act.
• Faith- Has a passion for Biblical studies, which is often her downfall when trying to make friends. Is briefly the object of Freak's affection. She is well-liked by many people, but her virginal way of thinking is often made fun of.
• Perfect- The most popular girl in school, though many people find her to be snobby and fake. It appears that she has no problems with her life at all. However, it is revealed that her mother is a school bus driver, andis struggling to make ends meet. Perfect also reveals that she is pregnant.
• Prep- Standard school bully, who is popular because of who his friends are. He has an unreturned romantic interest in Jock.
• Jock- Popular and amiable school hero. He is athletic, popular, and extremely attractive. As a hard-working student in school, he finds it irritating that the terms 'Brainless" and "Jock" ae so often put together.

World Premiere

columbinus had its co-world premiere on March 8, 2005, at Round House Theatre in Silver Spring, Maryland (Jerry Whiddon, Producing Artistic Director, Ira Hillman, Managing Director), and then on May 6, 2005, at Perseverance Theatre in Juneau, Alaska (PJ Paparelli, Artistic Director, Jeffrey Herrmann, Producing Director), in conjunction with the United States Theatre Project.

The original cast was as follows:

• Anne Bowles, Faith
• Jeanne Dillon, Perfect
• James Flanagan, AP
• Daniel Frith, Prep
• Gene Gillette, Jock
• Karl Miller, Freak/Eric Harris
• Ekatrina Oleska, Rebel
• Will Rogers, Loner/Dylan Klebold

New York Premiere

columbinus had its New York permiere on May 22, 2006, at New York Theatre Workshop (Jim Nicola, Artistic Director; Lynn Moffat, Managing Director). The production was directed by PJ Paparelli.

The New York cast was as follows:

• Anna Camp, Perfect
• James Flanagan, AP
• Carmen Herlihy, Rebel
• Nicole Lowrance, Faith
• Karl Miller, Freak/Eric Harris
• Joaquin Perez-Campbell, Jock
• Will Rogers, Loner/Dylan Klebold
• Bobby Steggart, Prep

Other Productions

In fall 2009, Paparelli workshopped new text for the show, premiering a new version at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri in honor of the tenth anniversary of the Columbine shooting. The production was directed by Theatre Department Faculty member David Charles Goyette.

The cast of the Truman State University production was as follows:

• Joanna Bess, Faith
• Kylee Raney, Perfect
• Ryan Clark, AP
• Cherish Varley, Rebel
• Cameron Jones, Prep
• Andrew Stashefsky, Jock
• Jake Wasson, Freak/Eric Harris
• Sam Kyker, Loner/Dylan Klebold

One of the most acclaimed productions came in fall 2010, In association with Salve Regina University. It opened at Stanford White's Casino Theatre in Newport, Rhode Island, with support from The International Tennis Hall of Fame. the production was directed by Suzanne Delle.

The cast of the Casino Theatre production was as follows:

• Sarah Fredericks, Faith
• Robyn Genzano, Perfect
• David O'Connell, AP
• Nicole Dionne, Rebel
• Matthew Demanche, Prep
• Eric St. Cyr, Jock
• Jonathan Olivera, Freak/Eric Harris
• Owen Murphy, Loner/Dylan Klebold

Praise

Despite its controversial and challenging content, the play has received generally positive reviews. When columbinus premiered in 2005 at the Round House Theatre, Peter Marks of the Washington Post called it, "An ambitious examination of the suburbanization of evil, directed with a surefire sense of theatricality by PJ Paparelli."

Additionally, columbinus received several Helen Hayes Award nominations including:

• Best Resident Play
• Best Director

See also

• Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold
• Columbine High School Massacre