COACHELLA VALLEY REPERTORY will present BEFORE THE BELL, a riveting and authentic drama about a bullying incident that occurs on a high school campus 20 minutes before classes begin. In this story by KERRY KAZMIEROWICZTRIMM and DENVER CASADO, a web of connected events leads to rising tensions and an assault on a student by two bullies. The full impact of BEFORE THE BELL is heightened as we witness this event three times: once from the perspective of the victim, again from the viewpoint of the first bully, and finally, through the eyes of the second bully.
The 10 a.m. performances are free and will be attended by Coachella Valley high school students.
All performances will be followed by a Q&A with the cast, crew, mental healthcare professionals, CVRep Executive Artistic Director Adam Karsten and Shangraw. The actors will talk about their experiences, opening a dialogue that can continue long after leaving the theater. Free study guides and classroom materials for preparation and post-performance discussion will be available to schools.
I find this Albany, NY-based playwright Kerry Kzmierowicztrimm to be especially interesting:
“As far as targeting stories, I have ADHD and am on the autism spectrum, but wasn’t diagnosed with either until my 30’s, partially because my home life was complicated enough that people assumed that a lot of my behavior just came from growing up in such a fraught environment. To kids at school, my behavior just fell into the category of “weird,” and played a role in how much I was bullied.”
KERRY KAZMIEROWICZTRIMM – Script
Kerry Kazmierowicztrimm (he/they) is a writer and an actor passionate about using their experiences with PTSD, ADHD, depression and the autism spectrum to inform their work. More than 700 productions of their plays and musicals have been staged in 20+ countries. Off-Broadway writing credits include Wounded at the Soho Playhouse, and The Village Song Project at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre. Their work was featured in Lincoln Center’s Broadway’s Future Songbook and at The Other Palace in London. They have written immersive and site-specific theatre and was commissioned by La Jolla Playhouse to write for their Walks of Life audio experience. Their musical Chasing The Sky has been enjoying an open-ended run in Poland since Spring 2023. Ten of their scripts have been published. They’ve received more than five dozen awards and nominations for their writing, and were a finalist for the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference. Studio recordings of their musicals Giants In The Sky, Sally Sells Seashells (And You Can, Too!), The Claw, Chasing The Sky (Polish & US Recordings), and Frankie Builds Androids are available on all music streaming platforms. They have a B.F.A. in Acting from Syracuse University, and an M.F.A. in Musical Theatre Writing from N.Y.U. Tisch School of the Arts. For more information, visit www.kerrykaz.com
