Conversation Starter: Payback

“Getting payback because of what happened isn't going to benefit you at all. 
Closure? It's not going to help you with closure...
Tito... TITO! Come back! You better not walk out that... (she grabs her coat and car keys)..."

Each spring, Young Playwrights partners with InterAct Theatre Company to produce the Young Voices Monologue Festival, featuring the work of talented high school students in the City of Philadelphia. A collection of vibrant and diverse perspectives, Young Voices taps into the energy of what it means to be a young person in our city today, now, in this very moment. With subjects ranging from college admission, young love, and neglectful parents to gender identity, abuse, and the state of the city at large, Young Voices honors the experiences, challenges, and triumphs of young people from throughout Philadelphia, placing their voices center stage for audiences from around the region to experience firsthand.

This year’s Festival was no different. Adrian Vega, a sophomore at Nueva Esperanza Academy, drew inspiration from not only his personal experience with loss, but also books and music to write his monologue about a brother seeking revenge and a mother's desperate plea to stop him. “I wanted to write a monologue to show people that having drug wars and people into drugs should be prevented especially from teenagers in our society.”

With the help of the Knight Foundation, we want our Young Voices to start a national conversation. Check out the video about Adrian's experience, and then watch “Payback” in action at the 2015 Young Voices Monologue Festival.

What do you think? Have you ever experienced the desire for revenge? Tell us!