Jamie Whatever

Jamie Rezazadeh is a young Muslim boy who’s just started the first grade a new school. Jamie finds new friends who can’t wait to know more about him, but he also encounters Bailey, a bully who makes fun of Jamie’s name. With the help of Jamie’s grandfather, who Jamie calls Pop-pop, and the school custodian Miss Sophia, both Jamie and Bailey learn the power behind our family names, and the importance of being seen the way we want to be seen. Written for K-3rd grade, Jamie Whatever invites students to see the ways in which family, history, and pride in our cultures both influence and define our identities.

ReFrame

A young African-American girl arrives at school on picture day, excited about her new hairstyle. Jesse is a white, Jewish student who immediately makes fun of her hair, telling her, “looks like you put your finger in a socket.” In this play, students step through a magical frame that allows them to discover how to see each other for the things that make them unique and what bonds them together. The “frame” method teaches students: F-freeze, R-reflect, A-ask questions, M-maintain an open mind, and E – expand experiences.