I Was There
at Centreville High School

Reviewed on May 1, 2021

Dagny Scannell
Bishop Ireton High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

How should a student react when the sound of the school bell is replaced with the sound of gunshots? How are children expected to protect themselves if a school shooting occurs? And how do survivors manage to move on? Centreville High School's production I Was There explored how students grapple with the trauma and loss associated with a school shooting. This impactful story illustrated the pain, strength, terror, and heartbreak that followed a shooting and showed how this event changed a school community forever.

I Was There, written by Sam Guzman, was a series of monologues that followed a group of students as they recounted their individual experiences during a horrific shooting. Centreville High School was one of the first schools this year that was able to mount a safe, in-person production and the school expertly maintained the integrity of the piece itself. The ensemble was masked and spread out onstage, and if anything, this made the show even more moving. The distance between actors allowed the audience to focus on each student's story individually, especially when the focus of the play shifted to explain the shooter's point of view.

The actors did a fantastic job as they authentically reacted to the shooting and highlighted the unique perspectives they had on the horrific event. Ethan Welch played DJ, a jock, whose anger towards the shooter and lack of tolerance for the atrocities that occurred were evident. Abbie Bailey's portrayal of the popular girl, Kristen, perfectly captured the feelings of shame and guilt that often followed a shooting. Makayla Parker brought a childlike innocence to the stage as Lauren, and the audience could see the actress balancing Lauren's typical optimism with the heaviness of her circumstances.

Katie Wood, who played the shooter, gave a notable performance as well. Wood's impressive take on this challenging role astounded audience members, and she added significant depth to a seemingly one-dimensional antagonist. Her monologue shifted from apologetic to desperate to psychotic to furious, and Wood perfectly showed both the pain and derangement that prompted the shooter to kill nine students.

The acting performances were not the only things that made this show stand out. A single student, Tyler Schroder, was responsible for the lighting, sound, and editing, and these technical elements artfully contributed to the overall success of the performance. When students died onstage, bold lighting and sound effects created a chaotic atmosphere that felt deeply real. In addition, the costumes clearly reflected each character's personality and social standing, and the minimal set pieces allowed the actors to create several different settings while onstage.

I Was There was a relevant show that addressed the horrific realities of school shootings. Centreville High School's performance analyzed trauma in a provoking and artistic way, and their students should be immensely proud of the work they did to draw attention to this pertinent issue.

Emma Carpenter
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

It is every parent's, teacher's, and student's worst nightmare to hear the sound of screams and gunshots coming from the inside of a school. This fear became a reality in Centreville High School's haunting rendition of I Was There as it effectively and gracefully depicted the seriousness of school shootings and the chilling reality for hundreds of people across America.

Written by Sam Guzman, I Was There followed students recounting their perspectives on the details of a school shooting that ended the lives of nine people. This show emphasized the haunting trauma that students must learn to cope with and examined the reasoning, guilt and anger behind the decision to take another's life. Based on a real event, Centreville performed with great strength and skill, using its talent to highlight the shocking reality and powerlessness that is still relevant to people today.

One of the most intriguing parts of the play was not just how the ensemble worked together to form an environment of suspenseful fear to outright panic, but each individual's reactions to their trauma. A notable contrast included the two popular kids, Kristen and DJ, played by Abbie Bailey and Ethan Welch. Welch's escalation from an initially grounded persona to bursting fury characterized his anger and disgust towards the shooter, contrasted with Bailey's portrayal of grief and guilt on the error of her ways, along with the horrifying thought that if she had been a nicer person these people might still be alive.

Impersonating someone as complicated and difficult as a school shooter is a challenging task, but Katie Wood pulled off a masterful interpretation of Aaron, using a skill and grace that was vital for such a character. The exaggerated physicality showed her pain and torment without the need for words, almost making the audience feel sympathy for the villain at her breaking point as this show examined what led up to these actions in the unnerving final moments.

The pandemic restrictions did not stop the cast of Centreville as the distance between the actors was used to illustrate the fear and desolation of the students. The ensemble used powerful silences to accentuate scenes of loud pops and chaos creating a sense of dread. The simple, yet dramatic and impactful execution of the blocking was fundamental for the intensity needed in the show, particularly during the separation from the shooter and the rest of the cast, representing their isolation during the chilling final moments of the performance.

Tech head Tyler Schroder integrated the sound, editing and lights seamlessly with the performance of the actors, not just working with the flow of the show but emphasizing it through a variety of spotlights and blackouts for each monologue's differing perspective. The basic set of chairs six feet apart with a high side light provided an air of interrogation, terror, uncertainty, and guilt.

Centreville High School was able to maturely characterize the impactful nature of I Was There by delivering a distressing reminder that one day any student might walk into what they thought was a drill and not know if they will ever make it out again.

Aidan McNerney
Bishop Ireton High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

Centreville High School staged an extraordinary production of I Was There that was both poignant and heartbreaking. Told through a series of monologues, the ensemble cast gave a powerful and engaging performance that not only told a story but also raised broader questions about the ever-present tragedy of gun violence in schools.

Based on true events, this one-act play written by Sam Guzman tells the story of a school shooting and its effects on those involved. Each individual character shared the details of his or her experience, reflecting on matters ranging from what they had been doing in class that morning to how their life choices had brought them to that point. It was performed in person using clear masks and socially distanced blocking. The space between the actors did not detract from the flow of the play but rather helped separate the personal stories of each character.

Every actor brought great emotion to their role while managing to maintain enough subtlety to make their performance feel realistic. They also used excellent physicality and a variety of mannerisms to distinguish and add depth to the characters. The blocking was simple but effective, and the actors executed it cleanly. In one particularly touching moment, Kristen (Abbie Bailey) and Becca (Ysanne Sterling) reached out to hold the other's hand from the adjacent bathroom stall while in hiding, which helped underscore the significance of small human connections under such terrible circumstances. The show also raised many difficult questions about what motivates a person to kill others, considering the roles of social status and bullying, all of which are deeply important to contemplate in today's society.

The variety of characters allowed for a wide range of perspectives on these questions, as well as for expressing various forms of grief. DJ (Ethan Welch) started the show relatively calm, but his anger began to escalate as he argued that he and plenty of other kids had faced hardship but would never kill over it. Becca, on the other hand, sympathized with what the shooter had experienced and even admitted to having felt a twisted sense of pride in seeing the "popular" kids face retribution for their past cruelty. This was jarring but powerful, and Sterling wonderfully balanced guilt and fury. Lauren (Makayla Parker) was particularly interesting in her portrayal of grief, as she seemed more lighthearted and unbothered early on, and Parker provided an excellent transformation as the gravity of what had occurred began to sink in. Katie Wood was riveting in her portrayal of Aaron, the shooter, and the overwhelming emotion in her performance helped add complexity to a challenging character.

The costumes showed good attention to detail and helped further characterization, such as in Lauren's overalls and DJ's letterman jacket. Aaron was dressed all in black to represent his sense of isolation and the idea that there is no real way to identify what kind of person could become a killer. The set consisted only of a collection of chairs spread across the stage, which were used creatively throughout the show. A spotlight was used on individual characters as they gave monologues, which helped provide a focus on each separate story. The use of multiple camera angles also helped give the production a more intimate feel, a credit to technician Tyler Schroder.

Centreville High School's production of I Was There was moving and impactful, and the emotional performances of each actor created something truly memorable.

Miriella Jiffar
Bishop Ireton High School
Submitted for publication to Patch (Fairfax/Alexandria)

In the wake of many recent shootings and episodes of gun violence, Centerville High School's dramatic and well executed one-act performance of I Was There detailed the aftermath of a school shooting where students tried to make sense of a senseless tragedy. The actors, all theater students at Centerville High School, selected the script for their one-act performance in January 2021 and were able to rehearse in-person once a week during February and March. It was filmed in front of a small live audience on April 19 with a talk back after the show. Performed in a series of monologues, the actors recounted the details of a tragic school shooting, offered a variety of perspectives, and illustrated the different stages of trauma and grief that the students were going through.

With distinct blocking strategies and the use of clear masks, the show was able to follow Covid-19 restrictions and still maintain the integrity of an in person show. Because it was filmed, the camera angles were especially important to give the audience a full picture of the show. The filmed version added an additional dimension to the show. Seeing it person, one only sees the entire stage, but when recorded, the variety of camera angles gave the audience new perspectives instead of the same, singular vantage point when sitting in the theater. For example, when the students were performing their monologues, the camera focused solely on them, but for larger scenes such as ones involving the ensemble, the camera angle was much wider. The lighting and sound by Tyler Schroder also elevated the intensity of the school shooting, adding to the atmosphere of shock, anger, and terror the students were feeling. More specifically, the use of spotlights isolated the perspectives of the students, who each felt differently about the shooting. This was crucial because it demonstrated how, despite all witnessing the same event, the students all had their own individual reactions, being angry with the shooter, sympathetic or just trying to process what had occurred. This allowed the audience to more fully understand the horrific legacy of a school shooting on the students who survived. In all, the technical elements were well thought out and it greatly uplifted the show's content.

While many stories surrounding school shootings focus on the students, not often is there the same attention on the shooter. Centerville High School's I Was There struck a perfect balance between portraying the student's experiences in the shooting's aftermath and also considering the perspective of the shooter, named Aaron, without glorifying or justifying his terrible actions. Katie Wood's insightful, genuine, and skillful performance as Aaron effectively highlighted the shooter's internal turmoil and the agony he went through in high school because of how badly he was bullied by other students. The shooter's wonderfully delivered monologue, when Aaron repeatedly and emphatically yelled "I'm sorry, Mom" juxtaposed with his desire to be "etched" in the students' minds, emphasizes the crushing weight of high school and how one can snap, but the show's examination of the shooting's aftermath warns how the senseless loss of life is by no means an appropriate outlet of frustration and anger.

Emilia Ermanoski
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

Panic, fear, anger, and reflection characterize a group of students retelling their experiences of the day of a school shooting.

Written by Sam Guzman and based on a true story, I Was There portrayed a group of students who recalled the tragic events of a school shooting through a series of monologues. A range of experiences were shared to describe the emotions felt that day. Rehearsals for the play were filmed once a week during February and March of 2021. There was a live audience at the time of recording, making I Was There Centreville High School's only live performance of the school year. Additionally, a talkback took place after the show, focusing on ensemble and relationships as well as a discussion about the story's purpose as told through integrity and blocking.

The play depicted several students, from the jock to the popular girl to the art student, and their differing reactions to the shooting. Makayla Parker, who played Lauren, portrayed the art student through her voice and physicality. Parker characterized Lauren as a gentle, but fearful person who has yet to face her traumatic experience. As she knelt next to a chair and spoke gingerly, Parker presented a character whose emotions were communicated through a unique combination of articulation and movement. Ethan Welch, who played DJ, portrayed the perspective of the jock, who was in gym class on the day of the shooting. As DJ's spoken thoughts grew bitter, Welch's voice grew louder, escalating from composure to anger and capturing the intensity of his character's feelings.

Although CDC guidelines were in place for social distancing, staying several feet apart did not hinder the blocking. In fact, the restriction of distance was used to facilitate the story, allowing the actors to utilize their space. Every actor wore a clear mask, a clever compromise to ensure that theater was practiced safely during a pandemic, as well as to communicate emotions through facial expressions.


The simplicity of the stage complemented complex feelings and topics. Yet, the attention to detail to many technical elements enhanced the show's objective to share the deep, first-hand experiences of the students. Whether it was filming the actors or the stage, the cameras filmed from varied perspectives, delivering a more engaging performance as opposed to staying in one place. Along with cameras, student Tyler Schroder's work with the spotlights switching on and off at times made scenes powerful. The lights illuminated characters until they suddenly turned off and the sound of shots being fired (portrayed through the sound of chairs crashing) was heard until the spotlight turned back on again, adding to the horrifying moment. Moreover, the consideration in clothing provided another dimension to the students' personalities, from a Chicago sweater to overalls to a letterman jacket.

With a moving performance, Centreville High School's production of I Was There gave an honest focus on the experiences of high school students after a traumatic event.

Kylee Majkowski
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

For the average American teenager, the concept of school shootings is not only one they are familiar with, but one that they are trained to anticipate. As soon as most children step into a school, they are taught lockdown drills and how to behave if your life was at risk in your place of learning, but the topic of school shootings is still a sensitive one. For Centreville High School, it was a topic of conversation that was not feared but rather forced to be discussed in their rousing portrayal of I Was There by Sam Guzman. With such gripping material, the troupe faced the challenge head-on delivering a memorable look into the harsh reality so many face.

I Was There by Sam Guzman has been frequently performed since 2016 and is a minimal set-piece typically featuring eight actors. The show details various perspectives of students following a school shooting, so each and every actor had a distinct role and perspective to represent. Katie Wood's Aaron centered the event and powerfully proved why in a striking monologue that demonstrated her portrayal of a mind driven to killing. Makayla Parker as Lauren offered a unique view of someone who was far more cynical about the experience. Parker's lighthearted almost joking reflection of the shooting gave a strong contrast to the rest of the show and some insight into how people cope in different ways. Similarly, Ysanne Sterling as Becca displayed a survivor truly conflicted about their feelings regarding the mindset of the shooter. Sterling managed to conjure a rage demonstrating the frustration regarding her confusion. Ethan Welch as DJ portrayed someone who might have directly contributed to the shooting yet showed no remorse only anger. The range of actors featured created a diverse and intriguing ensemble that crafted a fascinating story.

Fortunately, Centreville had the opportunity to perform on stage which offered some refreshing technical elements that are unavailable online. Tyler Schroder who managed and executed lights, sound, and editing featured some striking uses of spotlights and other lighting. Additionally, the costuming of the show purposefully provided a wide range of styles to make each student distinct from the others and each memorable in several ways. The task of masks was also handled well as each actor stood eloquently distanced in clear masks that allowed for a clear view of any facial expressions.

The notion that youth cannot handle difficult material is a myth that is disproved repeatedly by rising generations. Centreville High School executed a show that handled sensitive topics with grace and strength. By the end of the performance, even through a virtual platform, the audience was moved, the words 'I Was There' ringing in the ears of all who heard them.