Have You Heard the Names?
The play The Names That Hurt was performed on Friday, October 18th starring the sophomore drama class at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts; however, it was quite different than how it is performed annually. Since the production was directed by the new drama teacher Mr. Cacciola-Price, The Names That Hurt was performed in a new and more modern way. Some of the major differences involved the staging of the production, the monologues and scenes written, and the fact that the names were spoken in the performance.
The play is about teenage bullying and shows the audience the effects these names have on the people saying them as well as the teenagers being bullied. The audience truly understands the pain that each actor has been through and the audience members can relate to each character being portrayed. Not only do we see how the words spoken affect the people being bullied, but we see the effects the words have on friends, lovers and the bullies themselves.
In this generation, technology is a major role in our society and one major topic shown in the new version of The Names That Hurt was the huge role technology plays in bullying. Many of the monologues performed expressed how bullying has become harder to avoid since technology follows a teenager throughout the day. Many of the characters expressed how harmful it is to not only be bullied at school, but to be bullied at home while on the computer or at night receiving texts right before you sleep.
A major reason why the play had a strong, emotional effect on the audience is because we really see how one word can change a person’s view on themselves. We see how a word such a “slut” or “fag” can make people think negatively and want to do harmful things to themselves or others. The audience sees how these simple words can make people want to run away from home, cry, or even commit suicide. Everyone has been bullied and to see how these characters feel is so heart breaking because most of us have felt that alone and depressed at one point in our lives.
Throughout the production of The Names That Hurt, all of the actors did a magnificent job and really helped the audience understand why bullying is wrong and truly see harmful effects it has on the victims being bullied. This is a play everyone can connect to emotionally and one that can seriously help teenagers become more aware of their actions.
– Neophytos Ioannou ’17