Oakland High School To Present Regional World Premiere Of LOCKDOWN: AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

Roundabout Theatre Company and Education at Roundabout have announced that Skyline High School in Oakland, CA will present the regional premiere of LOCKDOWN: AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

Written by Daniel Robert Sullivan and a team of teenagers from New York City, Lockdown: Await Further Instructions was developed in partnership with Roundabout Theatre Company's Education Department.

The Oakland production will be helmed by teacher and director, Awele (ah WAY lay).

Says Awele, "This is a timely play co-written by teenagers in New York City and Oakland that reminds us about just how vulnerable schools are to gun violence, and how vulnerable teens are to acute stress in their daily lives. The play takes us into the lives of teens through their stories and powerful voices managing the conflicting demands of family, school, relationships, identity formation, screen time on technology, work, time management, quality time, and self-care, while pondering life after high school - all during a school lockdown.

How do we protect our children? How do we show up in their lives? How do we have healthy communication and healthy relationships so they can thrive? To dialogue makes us more human. We are wired to be in social connection with one another. We become ill when that fundamental need for human connection is not met or denied. A child's connection to their community is one of the strongest predictors for their success. Restorative justice practices such as talking and story circles teach us we belong to something bigger than ourselves. 'I am because we are (Ubuntu proverb).'

We hope our performance sparks dialogue and a social connection that brings you closer to a loved one!"

Skyline High School recently won a BroadwayWorld Award for Best Production Performed by Youth for their presentation of Prospect High: Brooklyn.

Conceived by Daniel Robert Sullivan (currently of Dear Evan Hansen, formerly Tommy DeVito in Jersey Boys, author of Prospect High: Brooklyn) and co-written by a team of New York City teenagers, the play takes place in an urban high school during an active-shooter situation. While hiding - somewhat securely - beneath their school's auditorium stage, a theatre class shares personal stories to alleviate their fear. They learn more about each other today than ever before.

Lockdown: Await Further Instructions was created with the intent of offering new, serious, true-to-life material for teenage actors. The play addresses themes of deep friendship, revenge, academic stress, teenage mental health, and the power of good and bad advice, all against the backdrop of an enormous city high school. Lockdown: Await Further Instructions can be performed by any number of actors. Notably, this production includes brand new passages written by the actual Ridgeway High School actors performing the play.

"I wanted to create another issue-driven, age-appropriate, ethnically-diverse, flexible-cast play that represents the extremes inherent in an urban high school environment. Through just a month of collaboration, these teenagers have introduced me to the issues and conversations most important to them. We've structured these issues into the play," notes creator Daniel Robert Sullivan.

Teenage co-writers of the play include Starr Bond, Chidimma Dikeocha, Nermine Hamed, Asya Hyppolite, Jacob Krah, Susana Kuhn, Barbara Lewis, Mark Lewis, Mary Lewis, Savannah Mangin, Jenna Muldoon, Mikiyah Murphy, Madison Mushnick, Gabriela Nieves, Nneka Nwosu, Hasanat Onitiri, Amanda Rivera, Joseph Tate, Fatima Turay, Garrison Watkins, with teacher Laura Fries.

The play will have its regional world premiere at Skyline High School on December 19th at 7:00pm. Tickets are free at the door. Skyline High School is located at 12250 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, CA 94619.

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