Theatre Performance Focuses on Bullying, Tolerance, Suicide

Students involved in the St. Paul’s School Theatre program will tackle some tough and timely issues this week with performances of “The Re-programming of Jeremy,” at the New Stage Theatre, at 7 p.m. on Jan. 23, 24, and 25.

The play, written by Bobby Keniston, a theatre teacher and playwright from Maine, focuses on Jeremy, a gay teen who commits suicide after bullying at school, difficulties at home, and being sent to a straight camp. The family and friends who loved and knew him, as well as Jeremy, share his life story in short soliloquies, with segments of music interspersed in between.

Seven students are performing in the play with others working on production. There is also an interactive, multimedia component to the play, according to David Valdes, the director of theatre at the school.

Some of the students are veterans to performing; others have done only a few plays.

The play features Reath Neilson, as Jeremy, Elizabeth Rizonni, as his mother, and Nicholas Groomes, as his father. Also appearing are Ryan Hedrick, Alexander Tabet, Hannah Richman, and Diana Dimiri. Eva Wang is the stage manager.

Dimitri said that Valdes was primarily the force behind the troupe performing the play but they also liked the message it was sending to viewers about “being comfortable in your own skin and being comfortable with your sexuality.”

Tabet said the issues were as timely today as ever, no matter the setting, although he hadn't seen a lot of it at St. Paul's. He noted that gay teens in high school are sometimes discriminated against even though as many as one in 11 teenagers could be gay.

“It’s something that is prevalent in all cultures, including any high school,” he said. “The thing that drew me to this play is that it’s delivering a great message.”

Hedrick, who plays a reverend in the play, said by performing the part, he had a better understanding of the thought process of those who opposed homosexuality.

“At first I was like, ‘I hate this character,’” he said, adding that he grew to be more understanding of what others might go through. “It’s more of fear of the unknown that really sparks that discrimination … it scares some people … it makes them question themselves.”

Neilson said for him, the show isn’t about being gay or straight, “it’s about being you.” He came to the role looking at his own life, how he was bullied, and people he bullied too. It made Neilson wonder why it was being perpetuated on others.

“One of the big messages that I’m getting from this show is that it’s not just about acceptance,” added Richman, who plays Jeremy's girlfriend, “but also realizing that you have an influence on every single person that you meet, no matter what.”

Wang said the play was a means of communicating to others. She said they would be using it as part of the You Are Not Alone campaign, an effort to prevent bullying, regardless of whether the bullying is about sexuality, disabilities, or other characteristics.

“We’re really trying to share with our community what we believe is important … that people should understand,” she said.

The theatre seats 180 and the shows are free. Valdes hopes to also offer a showing at NHTI later this year. He said that Keniston will be coming to opening night to check out the performance.