High school musical theater In Our Hands Now!
an original high school musical by
E. Sandy Powell  &  Mick Terry

SYNOPSIS

In Our Hands Now!   features an odd group of high schoolers, each driven by their own personal dramas. As with the majority of teens today, these kids harbor secrets which dictate how they act, but which only get revealed in tender moments, to their closest friends.

Zach has taken on one cause after another, trying to make the world a better place, ever since his sister died  (So Much Pain). Dezha, on the other hand, focuses on herself, chafing at high school limitations as she yearns toward a career in acting, yet for a reason outside herself  (Backwater High). Without parents or particular goals, Adeeno carries a chip on his shoulder, but he heeds his grandma's counsel to "make do" which allows him to feel "good enough"  (Making It Through).

There's also Maggie, Dezha's childhood friend, with much simpler desires  (I'll Take What I Have), who melts over Adeeno even when he barely notices her. And Ann, an impassioned dancer, as well as one of the most vulnerable kids in school, who isolates herself from everyone, especially from guys. Unbeknownst to her classmates, Ann has had to take refuge from an abusive uncle, hiding with her little sister in a lean-to out in the woods.

The group is rounded out by Tabitha and Jonathan who have to deal with being perceived as strange due to their shared interest in the paranormal  (How Do We Know What's Out There?). All wonder at their futures.

This odd group of individuals is juxtaposed against the more predictable popular crowd led by Grant. While clearly the coolest guy in school, with a not-too-bright but nonetheless enviable following in loyal Buddy, gorgeous Shari, and cheerleading Dale, Grant reveals his darker side by belittling anyone who is "different."

Grant causes Ann particular distress. She fends off his surprise attack near her makeshift home, but not before he has undermined her shaky sense of security.

The outcome for Ann and her little sister, for whom she has taken on complete responsibility, remains in question until Zach's activism lasers into focus on their home front. He rallies his friends to put on a benefit to help out locally, for Ann. In the process Adeeno and the group stand up to Grant, on Ann's behalf, effectively pulling the punch out of Grant's tormenting.

Teachers and staff in this contemporary high school appear as real-life individuals with their own issues. Kids have no sympathy for adult problems or shortcomings, though. In fact, they let loose with a fast-paced tirade - what all students would love to say to their teachers and parents, in  Lighten Up!

The kids further react to societal pressures in their Contemporary World Problems class through the tune  Insane Changes. The accompanying "crunch dance" visibly demonstrates the weight of craziness that kids feel in the world today. And they create some of their own "insanity" through a vicious, all-too-familiar rampant rumor  (What Happened?).

One teaching duo, though, does inspire the students' trust and indulgence. Mr. Turner and Ms. Mac even get kids dancing as they swing to  Your Soul's Calling. This teaching team may drive the students nuts with their hyper-enthusiasm, but they also charm the kids into a willingness to stay present and open to life.

As the students recognize and grow from their own and each others' dramas, they draw closer together. It is in pooling their unique strengths, that they are able to help Ann. As a group, they incorporate a newfound grasp of the effects that attitudes & actions have on their lives into the show-within-the-show  (What You Put Into the World). And in the process of making their immediate world a little better, they find themselves ready to step up to all of life's challenges.
It's  In Our Hands Now!

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[ Hands logo - Daemion Lee ]
[ Graphics enhancement - Jared Johnson ]

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Copyright © 2003   E. Sandy Powell   &   Mick Terry