Production poster

Tonight I attended the opening of Bully Dance, by David Valdes Greenwood, directed by Sarah Gazdowicz at the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre. The play’s action revolves around one young man’s multiple acts of gun violence, and the all-too-familiar tragedy that unfolds when someone takes “justice” into his/her own hands. However, we the audience are not allowed to hold on to those notions of familiarity; Greenwood’s play unflinchingly explores perpetrator, victims, and the loved ones left behind, all with equal scrutiny and compassion.

As described by the playwright in the program note, Bully Dance is “not about just one shooting, but how we negotiate a society in which [a] simple act…puts us in the sightlines of someone’s anger, ignorance, and disregard for humanity.” Effectively staged and emotionally intense, this swift play (one hour and fifteen minutes) is very moving and thought-provoking. I highly recommend anyone in the area to take advantage and attend this production (tickets available here).