Written and submitted by Amy Penney
Fast forward to December 2021, and…check it out…the play went ahead without a hitch! I’m so glad we made the decision to wait until the Fall to present The Shape of a Girl. The impact the show had on our live theatre audiences was profound. They wouldn’t have been there if we had forged forward with live streaming only in May 2021. It was the best decision EVER to wait until the Fall to do the show.
The Shape of a Girl really made people think about their behaviour. Sometimes we don’t think what we are saying or doing is mean. The play made people think twice about things that they have done to others in the past.
I had one lady tell me after the play that she was going to reach out to someone that she bullied in the past and apologize. Several people said to me that they related to every character in the play: at times in their life they have been Sophie (the girl who is bullied), at other times, they have been Adrienne (the bully), and for most of their lives, been Braidie (the one who stood by and did nothing).
There was such a wide variety of emotion from the audience as they left the theatre. I watched everyone’s expressions and I knew that everyone was going home and having discussions with their family and friends about the show and the themes that it brought forward. That was the whole reason why I wanted to do this show. To start a conversation.
So, please, if you watched the show and it brought about a story or kick started action in your life, please share your story with CCT. I want to start a bigger conversation outside of the play in hopes that people will speak up and against bullying.
Photo credit: Stephanie Moore Photographer