WASHINGTON, PA (November, 15, 2017) – Washington & Jefferson College’s (W&J) Communication Arts Department will present “The Library” for its fall production, a play written by Scott Z. Burns and directed by Professor William Cameron.
“The Library” will run Nov. 16 to 18 at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. There will be a matinee on Saturday Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. Due to the sensitive nature of the play’s topic, this show is not recommended for children younger than age 14.
“The Library” focuses on the media coverage that follows a school shooting, and is based in part on the events at Columbine High School in 1999. The central character is Caitlin Gabriel (played by Olivia Adkins ’18) who survives a mass shooting in her high school library only to have her version of the events met with doubt and suspicion from those around her.
The production covering a heavy topic that is frequently in the news, and the cast found themselves experiencing a wide range of emotions throughout the rehearsal process, sometimes feeling emotionally drained, but also feeling hopeful that the audience will take away a powerful message.
“For me it’s a feeling of duty,” said Amina Brown ’18. “This is a problem in American society, so I feel it’s our duty to make sure [the play] is done right. We have a responsibility to do the play justice and perform it well.”
The ensemble hopes that their performance will encourage the audience to take something away from tragedies such as mass shootings. Cast member Lisa Huff ’19 said she hopes it
will encourage people to realize that a situation might not look the same to every person, and that this should play into their own reactions toward others.
“What I’d like people to realize from this play is that everybody’s experience of one situation can be multifaceted,” she said. “It shouldn’t take something as big as a mass shooting for people to be aware of the other people around you.”
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pa., is a selective liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent study work. For more information about W&J, visit washjeff.dev, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.
