According to Craig Hirt, Teen Intensive Instructor/Director “Putting together a full length show in just 8 rehearsals about such a personal difficult topic is a bit like drinking from a firehouse. While exploring these characters, the kids have been learning about themselves. Some of the situations in the plays have triggered strong emotions for the actors.”
The plays featured in Pieces of Mind were thoughtfully developed through Mind Matters, a theater-focused initiative aimed at supporting the mental health of teens. Plays include AP Despondency by Eislinn Gracen; El Perdido (The Lost One) by José Casas; The Girl Who Talks to Spiders by Ramón Esquivel; Go! Fight! Win! by Lojo Simon; Let Them Play by Lindz Amer; Millions of Boxes by Ralph Gregory Krumins; The Naming of Things by Eric Coble; Phone Less by Jonathan Dorf; Secrets by Melissa Leilani Larson; and The Strong Friend by Idris Goodwin.