Speak
New Plays for Young Audiences presents
Speak
by Laurie Brooks
adapted from the book by Laurie Halse Anderson
directed by Barry Kornhauser
This play tells the story of outcast Melinda as she enters high school. It’s not going well. Her old friends won’t talk to her, and others just glare at her or make fun of her. Struggling with classes, friends and home life, Melinda retreats into her head, where she hides a terrible secret that won’t go away. Her grades drop, she gets into trouble and even though her parents try to help in their own way, Melinda will not talk to them. Then, a painful confrontation at a school party forces her to face the truth about what happened to her. With help from a friend and an unsuspected teacher, Melinda discovers she must share her secret. This moving young woman has realized that although it’s hard to speak up for yourself, keeping silent is worse.
FREE Rehearsed readings
Best enjoyed by ages 12-18
Content warning: There is a reference to rape and sexual assault.
Saturday, June 15 at 7 p.m.
There will be a talkback following the Saturday reading with playwright Laurie Brooks. There is also a pre-show event co-sponsored by TYA/USA, from 5-6:30pm, in Pless Hall. Reservations can be made at the same reservation link for the readings.
Sunday, June 16 at 2 p.m.
(133 MacDougal, New York, NY 10012)
All rehearsed readings are in the Provincetown Playhouse. Tickets are FREE. You can reserve tickets via this reservation form. The house opens for seating 15 minutes prior to each reading. Seats are general admission.
The Provincetown Playhouse is located at 133 MacDougal Street, between West 4th and West 3rd streets [Subway: A, C, D, E, F, M (West 4th St.)].
QR code for the reservation page.
To seek support for and/or information about sexual assault, there are many resources available including:
the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or at rainn.org;
the National Sexual Violence Resource Center at nsvrc.org;
the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault at nyscasa.org;
Safe Horizon at 1-800-621-4673 (HOPE) or at www.safehorizon.org.
For more information on sexual violence prevention, in NYC there is also the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault at svfreenyc.org.
At NYU, call the Wellness Hotline Exchange at 212-443-9999 and ask for a Crisis Response Counselor (CRC) or use the app; for more NYU-specific information: https://www.nyu.edu/life/safety-health-wellness/sexual-and-relationship-respect.html.
New Plays for Young Audiences is supported by The Nancy and Lowell Swortzell Permanent Fund in Educational Theatre and with thanks to NYU Steinhardt’s Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions.
Steinhardt’s Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions, established in 1925, instructs over 1,600 students majoring in music and performing arts programs. Music and Performing Arts Professions serves as NYU’s “school” of music and is a major research and practice center in music technology, music business, music composition, film scoring, songwriting, music performance practices, performing arts therapies, and the performing arts-in-education (music, dance, and drama).