Trial By Fire by Eric Mansfield

Update: TRIAL BY FIRE opened Jan. 18 to four consecutive sell-outs with Akron School of the Arts at Firestone High School. Multiple media outlets covered the play's development (see attached links.). This play is now available for other schools, specifically strong high school and college programs.

LOGLINE: When word leaks that new Women’s Studies teacher Georgia Grimm has been allowing...
Update: TRIAL BY FIRE opened Jan. 18 to four consecutive sell-outs with Akron School of the Arts at Firestone High School. Multiple media outlets covered the play's development (see attached links.). This play is now available for other schools, specifically strong high school and college programs.

LOGLINE: When word leaks that new Women’s Studies teacher Georgia Grimm has been allowing her high school students access to books on the state’s new “banned” list, five teen girls rise up with a plan to save her job and reputation. As the pressure mounts for Georgia to resign or be fired, her students try to stop town leaders from burning books leading to one student being injured in the flames. With a 5 p.m. deadline looming before Ohio’s conservative governor looks to make a national example out of this young woman of color, Dan Shaw, an 11th-hour mediator, is called in to end the growing PR nightmare but only if he can unravel what's really at stake.

SYNOPSIS: Young teacher Georgia Grimm must fight for her job after news and social media reports indicate she's been using banned books to teach Women's Studies at Knights Academy. This prestigious all-boys academy only recently allowed girls to attend.

With protestors outside the school and the fall election only days away, Ohio's Governor plans to make an example out of Georgia as to what's wrong with the American education system.

Facing a 5 p.m. deadline to resign or be fired and with the governor in route to make a speech at the school, Georgia and her students face an interrogation from Dan Shaw, a career detective brought in as an 11th-hour mediator who specializes in persuading others to give up and admit they were wrong.

Can Georgia withstand the pressure to resign to save her career? Or will Dan learn what's really behind her fight for her students to have access to the classics?

Note: FIrst 25 pages of this full-length play are available for download. Those interested in reviewing the entire play should contact the playwright. eric@ericmansfieldwrites.com.
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Trial By Fire

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Georgia Grimm: F/27. POC. An English teacher beginning in her first year at Knights Academy, Georgia was glad to be hired at her alma mater, where just 13 years earlier, she had made history as part of the first group of girls admitted to the private all-boys academy. Today, the school’s population is nearly a third female, but she is one of only a few female teachers.

Dan Shaw: M/55-65. White. Former police officer now working as a state mediator. His son attends the school, and Dan has enjoyed being part of the school community, which is why he's been called to talk to Georgia.

Sydney: F/16. Shy but sweet. Teen author. Physically challenged either with a wheelchair, walker, or other movement assistant.
June Johnson: F-17. Student athlete. Determined and focused. Nickname "JJ"
Audrey Thompson: F/16. Intellectual and committed to her school work. Natural leader.
Clara Connors: F/17. Shy, bookworm.
Talea Simpson: F/16. POC who is focused on preparing for college hoping to be a lawyer like her mother.

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Cleveland State University - MFA program
    ,
    2023
  • Workshop
    ,
    Millennial Theatre Project Staged Reading - Akron Summit County Public Library
    ,
    2023
  • Workshop
    ,
    Akron School of the Arts
    ,
    2023

Production History

  • High School
    ,
    Akron School of the Arts - Firestone
    ,
    2024
  • Community Theater
    ,
    Millennial Theatre Project - Knight Stage - Akron Civic Theatre
    ,
    2024