←Recommendations of Stand Your Ground

Stand Your Ground defied all of my expectations of what a play about gun violence in Florida could be. It's funny, provocative and fascinating. I've never seen a reading where the audience was so invested in each reveal and turn. The play is an exciting challenge for designers that I would love to see on the stage!

This play is the best case study of how far a character is willing to go for an (absurd) objective and overcoming as many obstacles as possible. There was zero predicting as to what would happen in this play when I experienced it at the Great Plains Theatre Conference. A perfect snapshot of the complexities of Stand Your Ground laws in a visceral (and sometimes delightfully cringeworthy) depiction of Florida.

There is a lot tackled here with alternatingly devastating and sharply hilarious brushstrokes. Vermillion explores "bleeding heart liberal martyrdom," masculinity, violence, pride, the fear of losing ground from both sides of the political aisle, and more. Like Vermillion's other work, these characters manage to live simultaneously as interesting and plausible humans with unique wants and desires as well as representations of volatile socio-political conversations. I'd love to see this on its feet!

One of those rare plays that comes along and nails a topical issue right between the eyes in a visceral, real, human, way. A rare play with a clear protagonist, villain, and side characters that doesn’t feel hackneyed. A rare play that relies on plot and tension—that’s almost a thriller—and still invests so heavily in it’s characters. The first play in a long time that genuinely made me so uncomfortable I had to put it down for a bit. Read this play. It won’t be free for long.