Mt. Hood production brings intensity to tough subject

Full cast of “Bang Bang You’re Dead.” FRONT ROW, LEFT to RIGHT: Jean-Louis Mock Van Mol, Eno Omon, Jet Black (Josh, Main protagonist), Brea Grimes, Antonio Lucero. BACK ROW, LEFT to RIGHT: Shauna Kitchen, Mace Archer, Chase Jackson, Jarad Merchant, Angel Williams, Vern Porter, Christopher Wolfe, Laurel Strobel. Photo by Erik Walters.

This weekend, MHCC’s Theatre Club presents “Bang Bang You’re Dead,” a one-act play written by William Mastrosimone in 1999 who specifically suggests that performers incorporate their own experiences into the play’s characters.

The cast and crew is almost completely comprised of MHCC students, save for Mt. Hood theatre instructor Mace Archer. The plot focuses on Josh, a high school student who murders his own parents and then five classmates.

It is strongly based on the events surrounding Kip Kinkel’s violent actions in May 1998 at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon, where he opened fire on 27 of his classmates, killing two.

The play is meant to be a dramatized public service announcement, drawing awareness to bullying and violence in schools. Please be aware, the portrayal of violence in visual media may cause past victims to encounter lifelike trauma; the intensity that the actors and actress deliver their performance could impact viewers directly.

The cast does a great job of elevating an important drama to a psychological thriller. Shauna Kitchen, who plays Jessie, suggests that viewers “immerse themselves in the story.” The lead character, Josh, is quickly portrayed as cold and angry, but just as in real life there is much more to his story.

This play resonated with me on a personal level, I was in school and easily remember the Thurston and Columbine High School (Colorado) shootings. As a teen, I fit the profile of the shooters. I was often bullied, put down, and outcast. I had experience with, and access to guns, as well. I was able to learn to ignore the negative comments and focus on the people in my life that really mattered; meantime, I recall people being much nicer to me around that time.

Brea Grimes, a cast member, points out that “We need to be careful with how we treat one another, because you don’t know what happening in that person’s life. You don’t know where they are, emotionally.” 

I had an opportunity to sit down with members of the cast earlier this week. I was surprised to find out that each player was able somehow to connect with their character, they felt only subtle changes to the script were necessary for the Mt. Hood production.

Lead actor Jet Black (Josh) recommends that the audience “pay attention to the subjectivity; try to see yourself in every role.”

It is easy to label Josh as an evil character, but the reality is that there is so much gray in the real world, even he has hopes and dreams for the future.

While the show opened Thursday, there are shows at 7:30 p.m. tonight and Saturday, and 2 p.m. matinee show on Sunday.

I recommend everyone see “Bang Bang You’re Dead” this weekend at the MHCC Studio Theater, and stay for the thoughful discussion following the performance.

Mount Hood Community College Studio Theater

7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday

2 p.m. Sunday

Cast List

JOSH – Jet Black

SHADOW – Chase Jackson

MICHAEL – Jean-Louis Moch Van Mol

EMILY – Eno Omon

KATIE – Brea Grimes

MATT – Antonio Lucero

JESSIE – Shauna Kitchen

DAD/GRANDPA – Jarad Merchant

MOM/PROSECUTOR – Angel Williams

FOREMAN/VOICES – Laural Strobel

DEFENDER/VOICES – Christopher Wolfe

JUDGE – Vern Porter

PRINCIPAL – Mace Archer

STAGE & LIGHTING MANAGER – Hannah Hawley

CO-DIRECTOR – Kayla Bartholomew

CO-DIRECTOR – Jade Rabell

Advocate Staff