story by jk jk
script by Jenny Larson-Quiñones
Workshop sharing March 3rd 2024 at 2pm at Trinity St Playhouse. Tickets: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/jkjklolorg/a-part-of-it-play-reading
a part of it is the story of a teenage ghost haunting his former best friend’s life, and sending her and her family into chaos and ultimately confrontation.
One day, Tommy’s teenage ghost from 1999 shows up at Jackie’s work as a high school drama teacher. He takes her on a journey of forgiveness as they reenact scenes from their old high school theater productions in the various nooks and crannies of the theater building.
With a part of it we create conversation about homophobia in rural North America and its harmful persistence to this day. We center a queer non-binary family, opening dialogue about the challenges of partnering and parenting while healing. Central to our story are two teenage characters, Tommy the ghost from 1999. And Val, Jackie’s daughter from 2023. Tommy brings and manipulates an old technology, mix tapes and old school theater magic, hoping that Jackie will see him. And Val, Jackie’s daughter living in the here and now, brings new technology: posting, streaming, and messaging in hopes that anyone anywhere will hear her or see her. These teens are decades apart, yet they are both in the same space of confusion in their lives.
a part of it (formerly titled always boys) has been developed in part with support from the New Harmony Project 2022 writers conference, the Canadian Digital Dramaturgy Initiative (2021), hosted by Playwright Theatre Centre, NYC’s Workshop Theatre: Fall Intensive (2021), and the GVPTA’s Digital Connections cohort. a part of it is funded in part by the City of Austin’s Elevate Grant Program. The play is also developed with support from ScriptWorks' Revision Resource funding. Find more information about ScriptWorks at scriptworks.org
photos by Ollie Stewart