“Victory Lap” by George Saunders
A young teenager’s abduction is told through the perspectives of those involved, calling each of their beliefs into question. Performed by Kimmy Shields, Eli Brown & Jason Butler Harner.
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Audio & video recordings of short fictions performed live and delivered straight to your classroom.
Our Themes...
Although the foundation of “self” rests in a set of personality traits, who we are is also a function of the roles we take on (big sister, gay rights activist, artist, etc), and the values we hold, given our upbringing, cultural heritage, and life experiences. These identifiers can change and shift, especially when we’re teenagers. Adolescence brings new freedoms, new responsibilities, and heightened self-awareness. What’s my ideal self? Do I measure up? How do I feel about myself? How do others feel about me?
Whether we think we know who we are, what’s important to us, or where our future is headed, life inevitably unfolds. In each of these stories the main character’s sense of self undergoes an eye-opening transformation. Each author examines how different individuals respond to another person’s influence or to impactful events. These coming-of-age stories call attention to the startling turning point that bids us “to step forward into growth or step back into safety” (Abraham Maslow).
In an ideal world, family is about unconditional love. We don’t question it. We feel safe. We are bound by shared memories, spontaneous rituals, and a future insulated by the people we’re closest to. Healthy families nurture respect, loyalty, and connection. But families don’t exist in an ideal world. Parents don’t necessarily do what’s best for their children, even if they want to. Misunderstanding, disappointment, anger, hurt – we suffer the deepest pain when it’s inflicted by the people we love. But family is where we begin and, like sea turtles returning to their birthplace to start their own families, we too instinctively return to family.
These stories provide insight into the ways that families define who we are. How do we fit in? Are we able to question our assumptions about self and individual family members? Can we change the script that defines and confines us? Can we claim our independence and, if so, at what cost? These stories take into account how different personalities – parents’ and children’s – from different cultures face the challenge of supporting and loving each other while holding onto self .
Bite-sized fiction that packs a punch! Every performance in this category is 10 minutes or less.
We grow up being taught that love is as simple as a fairytale romance. In reality, love is complex and hard to define. It’s made of these small moments in life — a mother’s healing hand, a stranger’s act of kindness, a partner’s goodnight kiss. Combined, they craft our lives with dashes of joy and a sprinkle of hope for the next time we have the honor of loving and feeling loved.
However, love isn’t only made up of sweet blessings. As Bell Hooks writes in “All About Love,” “The practice of love offers no place of safety. We risk loss, hurt, pain. We risk being acted upon by forces outside our control.” These short stories challenge preconceived notions of love and define it as more than just an emotion, but also a verb, home, and state of living.
A healthy body is more than just its physical state. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 1 in 5 young people ages 13 to 18, either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness. Acknowledging and addressing mental health is important to our overall health. For example, depression can increase the risk of various physical health problems in the long-term, such as diabetes and heart disease. Our mental health affects our daily life, impacting how we walk into social situations, handle stress, and understand our personhood.
This very important part of our well-being is often overlooked or considered taboo in certain circles and cultures. These works tackle the complexities of mental health are addressed through provocative characters and situations. By understanding the subtle and glaring ways that mental illness removes individuals, we gain a sense of empathy for afflicted individuals and their loved ones.
From the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 60s to the Zoot Suit Riots to today’s Black Lives Matter movement, people of the U.S. have continued to show up and protest injustices. Despite the country’s founding right that “all men are created equal,” we’ve witnessed time and time again that America’s promise is not guaranteed. Through marches, boycotts, petitions, and various other demonstrations, people have demanded equality and respect.
Throughout history, we’ve gathered stories from those on the front lines and in the cities where these protests have occurred. Literature has the power to take us into the hearts of characters facing discrimination and invite us to recognize the motives and fears that foster prejudice.
Speculative fiction encompasses fantasy worlds, supernatural characters, and sci-fi adventures. Despite the wide range of stories, the genre always asks us to question “What if?” What could happen if AI took human form? Where would we be 1,000 years from now? How did we get here today and what could the future hold? We can be whisked away to a dystopian nightmare where the government watches us 24/7 or plopped in the middle of a forgotten utopia 10,000 leagues under the sea.
Speculative fiction not only lets our creativity soar, but it also allows us to address today’s current socio-economic challenges by presenting possible solutions and imminent consequences. These stories offer thought-provoking commentary on topics such as government control, social inequality, and the consequences of technology. Imagining new places and societies presents us the chance here on present-day Earth to reflect on our own lives and be the change we love to read about.
Often, war is painted as a heroic act. Society’s taboo against killing gets turned upside down and killing becomes moral. Killing becomes righteous because what it seeks to save is greater than what it has to destroy. On the surface, it sounds simple, but underneath the layers of a person is a complex mix of emotions that derive from the traumas of war. The physical and mental toll can extend past the battle field and head home with the soldier.
These stories capture this phenomenon through the soldier’s and their loved ones who witness the long-term impact of war. Each dwells on feelings that are complicated and contradictory. Characters live in their feelings and have to deal with them. They grapple with their personal sense of honor and struggle to hold themselves accountable. From their varied perspectives, each registers as an anti-war story, not because it confronts us with the atrocities of combat but because it reveals how war distorts our humanity and fractures the self.
Latest Stories...
“Oiga” by Luis J Rodriguez
A woman in Los Angeles waits for her turn to “testify” at a church event. While she waits and plans what to say, the stories of her life and family blend with the trauma of her ancestors. Performed by Diana Maria Riva.
“Good Things Happen at Tina’s Cafe” by Daniel Olivas
A boy with six fingers on each hand goes through life ashamed of being different. When old-world magic fails to solve his problem, an unexpected solution appears. Performed by Richard Cabral.
“Sábado Gigante” by Estella González
A closeted young man in Los Angeles goes on a date with his boss, then prepares for his second date, while trying to keep it a secret from his family. Performed by Remy Ortiz.
“Veteran’s Night” by Richard Bausch
Two war veterans reel from a night out, reflecting on the ways serving the war has impacted them physically and mentally after heading back home. When a red-headed man seeks to cause them harm, the veterans must navigate whether to turn to violence or passivity — putting into action what it means to be “good.” Performed by Bill Pullman.
“The Ideal Bakery” by Donald Hall
A man remembers the day his sister was born, when his father brought him to their favorite bakery. It was an idyllic time, but he realizes with age that the real world is not always ideal. Performed by Richard Schiff.