WARNING: Teach contains sensitive and traumatic content

For many kids, parents are the first authority figures that are expected to be respected and teachers are often the close second. There are also many times when it feels like the teacher is more present in a kid’s life than their parents!

That familiarity can lead to close relationships between the student and the teacher. Within these types of circumstances, there is easily the chance to cross lines and boundaries that can affect and damage people’s lives.

A new original play, Teach, by Donna Hoke, highlights these issues in a way that can be scarily similar to real life.

“I was hearing a range of reactions from laughing to gasping to even crying,” said Casting Hall President Zoe Goñez. “We definitely did our job as actors tonight.”

The show follows the student-teacher dynamic between three characters. The first is Ken, played by Min Zo, followed by Chris played by Manuel Mejia and Jemia Bennett, and Emerson played by Goñez and Myshawn Sikes.

Initially, Teach planned on having its first show run in 2020, but COVID-19 cancelled that. Now, due to interest from Buffalo State’s Casting Hall when they did a line reading of the show, Teach now has a chance to tell its story.

“We went to the chair of the Theater Department and told them that we had to put this show on,” said Goñez. “We have not done a three-show season since before COVID-19, so it is great to bring Donna’s new play to life.”

Who better to direct Teach and bring its world to life than Hoke’s daughter, Sabrina Kahwaty. The emersion in her direction for the show opens up an important dialogue about the abuses of power in our world.

“We wanted to make sure when bringing a new story to life, that the audience is able to follow along,” explains Kahwaty. “This is not like Les Miserables where everyone knows what is going on in the show.”

If the reactions for opening night are anything to go by, this show is going to be memorable.

“Compared to the other shows I have done, a lot of people were shocked more than I expected,” said Mejia.

Now go and get your tickets to see Teach at the Donald Savage Building in the Flexible Theater!