Brookfield Central High School’s theatre performed its annual one act play of the 2015 to 2016 school year, “Elephant’s Graveyard” on December 3^rd through the 5^th.

The play depicts something astonishing that happened in September 1916 in the town of Erwin, Tennessee — a lynching that has made the town infamous for nearly a century. The play was chosen by Honore Schiro, the English, Theater, and Speech Communications teacher at BCHS.

When the time of year came around for Ms. Schiro to choose a play to present, our country was experiencing a tragic event: a school shooting.

“Sometimes it is difficult to process all of the ills our world faces“, said Schiro. “With so much pain and horror in the world, why would I choose to do a show that is as dark as “Elephant’s Graveyard”?  Isn’t the theater a place to go to forget all the doom and gloom and escape into pure entertainment and levity?  It can be, but a reason that is at least important is best summarized in one word. Catharsis: The purging of the emotions or relieving of emotional tension especially through certain kinds of art, as tragedy or music. We’re living in times when catharsis is important.”

All of the events that occur in the play were based off of true events, which gave viewers an even greater feeling of empathy and catharsis. It is very interesting to know how some of the actors pulled off the play so well through their acting.

“I put myself into the character. ‘This was happening and this was real’ is what I said to myself”, said Abby Fuchs, a freshman at Brookfield Central who was involved in the play.

Many of the students who were involved in the play were very surprised and shocked at the story-line behind the play.

“A lot were sad, and surprised of the ending”, said Fuchs.

Another inspiring part of the experience was, in fact, the show before the play, which involved a senior and musician at BCHS named Alana Michaels. Michaels decided to be involved with the play because Mrs. Schiro encouraged her to perform an original song “Better in Time”, which connected well with the message behind the play.

“Better in Time is a song about the troubles we face in our everyday lives, but overlooking those troubles to see the light. This light refers to all the little gifts that God has blessed us with in life. Everything that has ever happened had to happen in order for life to exist. Everyone you meet and every decision you have ever made, has lead you to this very moment, right here, right now. You were meant to be here, and I want to remind people that there is a greater purpose in life. There is so much hardship in the world, but amongst that hardship, there is good. Those that hold the power of this good need to use their power in order to heal minds and touch hearts”, said Michaels.