"Gun Story" by Karen Saari is an incredibly powerful play that fearlessly delves into the topic of gun violence while exploring the dynamics between two parents. Saari captures the raw authenticity of their emotional journey, from the shared struggles of raising teenagers to the shocking revelation of a gun-related "joke" that threatens their newfound connection. With a perfect balance of humor and vulnerability, the play prompts deep reflection on the consequences of our actions and words. "Gun Story" is a compelling and thought-provoking choice for any festival, inviting audiences to engage in meaningful conversations

Words have power. Even in jest, words can do damage. Karen Saari presents an all too real interaction in an eloquent way. At one time there were things that were understood as a joke, but that doesn’t excuse them even when everyone was supposedly in on the joke. I hate to admit that I was on the delivery end of this brand of humor as an overprotective dad. Never gun related, but a similar gist. We grow from who we were. This is a wonderful short play addressing an awakening of awareness.

The world of teenagers is always a complicated one, coupling that with the terrifying world of gun violence and its easy to see why the tension mounts between these two parents. Karen does a great job of keeping the audience guessing regarding the characters connection before mounting tension with a brilliant pace once the truth is discovered. Brilliantly constructed.