Teens come together to host play on traumatic issues facing Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA - A group of Philadelphia teens are coming together to host a play that addresses traumatic issues facing the city's youth, including gun violence and conflict resolution.
The Childhood Lost Chronicles will be held at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre on South Broad Street next weekend, a culmination of rehearsals that have been happening since November.
"I feel good, I'm ready to do it," 16-year-old Nadhir Mapp said. He hopes the play makes impressionable audience members remember "how the littlest things can change someone's life."
"I just hope when they see it that they have that in their mind for the future that it's not that big of a deal, I don't want to lose my life over something that small," Mapp said.
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Brothers Kaliek Hayes and Stephen Gardner are the founders of Childhood Lost Foundation, and co-produce the play. Kaliek hopes the teen's hard work offers audience members a new perspective.
Gun violence will be a focal point of the upcoming play, says Gardner.
"What we call in the neighborhood ‘ghost guns’ and how effectively these guns move throughout the community and took so many lives, and it wraps up with a big finish," he said.
The foundation hopes it will draw classes of students and families alike. Information on tickets and show times can be found here.