Notes from a Horizon Theatre Artist in Residence:  

“On this particular residency, I had a male student come up to me. Here’s our conversation:

HIM: What are we doing?

ME: You guys are writing a one-minute play.

HIM: About what?

ME: Whatever you want.

HIM: Miss, just tell me what to write about.

ME: No, this is about you and your stories. Okay. Have you ever had a moment in your life where you wish you could go back and change something…a moment when you had a choice and you didn’t choose wisely?

HIM: Like when I ended up in jail?

ME: (Trying not to react) Sure. Like when you ended up in jail. Can you see the moment you could have prevented that?

HIM: Yeah.

He sat down and began writing. Class ended.

I received a text from the teacher that day saying this student had spent the entire year in class not participating (it’s now March). But after I left, he wrote non-stop for 25 minutes.  

He had written a one-minute play about a 17-year-old boy who goes back in time to his 12-year-old self, knowing he only has one minute, he catches the younger version of himself WHILE he’s running from the cops. He says to him; you have to get caught now. You have to. Because if you get away, you’re going to think you’re invincible (his word) and that’s going to be bad. Because then you keep doing more bad things and then you get one of your brothers killed, and then ma dies because she’s so stressed out to protect you. Please. Just let the cops catch you now so I don’t have to live this life this hard again.”