From the day of jury selection for the George Zimmerman trial for killing Trayvon Martin until the day the verdict was handed down—about a month—61 people were killed in the city of Chicago. Seven of them were children under the age of 18. Every day there are murders in cities all over America and most of them don’t get noticed. But they impact those whose lives intersect because of the moment of violence.
Callen Harty’s new Broom Street Theater play, Triggered, examines the impact of a random killing on several characters—the mother of the victim, the father of the killer, and a young woman who happened to witness the shooting, among others. The play explores the culture of violence in our country and the paths to redemption.
Harty is a long-time community activist and peace advocate. A year ago he started the monthly Vigil to End Violence at the State Capitol. He is also a long-time Broom Street Theater fixture as the author of more than twenty plays and a veteran actor and director. Performances of Triggered will run for four weekends from Thursday, September 20 through Saturday, October 12, 2013.