←Recommendations of Jagged Journey

We had the privilege of hosting a reading of "A Jagged Journey" by Elana Gartner through the Media Arts Council Reading Series. We selected it because it tells a story I have never seen in a play and tells it in such a way that we are drawn into the characters with full empathy. Audience members will talk about this play for days afterwards.

Gartner's play is a moving coming-of-age story and a theatrical exploration of living with a disability-in this case, epilepsy, personified by a wonderfully surprising character named Epilepsy. Read and produce it!

An intriguing exploration of dealing with Epilepsy by anthropomorphizing it as a character, personalizing the struggles with protagonist's disability. Great opportunities for bold performers.

I became familiar with this play from a reading at the MFA Spalding program where Elana and I were both studying playwriting. What I particularly love about this play is how Elana dramatizes an issue that she has a lived experience with in a way that makes epilepsy a topic and a story that any thinking audience member can relate to. The universality of a play is in its specificity, and with this play, Elana shows us a world that illuminates issues that leave a lasting emotional resonance about the journey of growing into adulthood with a disability.

Gartner takes us on a theatrically fresh journey through a fascinating world, where people literally negotiate with the unloved parts of themselves they might prefer to forget about. An honest, innovative, well-realized and insightful story that vividly depicts the protagonist's personal struggles while being wholly relatable to audiences. Would love to see a full production.

A powerful emotional journey of finding the energy needed to work through all the trials of life with disability. Beautifully done.