"SHOOTER" by Sam Graber A Prescient Play about Gun Violence Today

Today's massive shootings in schools and public places have left 33,000 innocent people dead each year; equivalent to the deaths from auto accidents.  Changes must be made to mitigate fatalities from accidents but moreover, it's critical to stop the mass murders in our country bleeding from an over abundance of arms & lack of sensible legal restrictions on guns.  The subject of "SHOOTER" is self-explanatory.  The play, written by Sam Graber gives a thoughtful & credible portrayal of an alienated high school student shooter and a troubled adult.  Neither should have been availed access to lethal arms.  The riveting & uncomfortable One Act, 5 character play is strategically aimed at building intensity and leaves one with a heightened sensitivity to the deadly impact of a trigger ready enmeshed society.   The minimal stark white set is versatile and affective in placing the viewer at the scene and behind the scene as to the insane escalation of fatal events.  The play begins with a bang.  Jim (Ean Sheehy) is an emotional wreck.  We learn through his lawyer Ben-David (an excellent David Perez-Ribada, a doppelgänger for Jeremy Piven) who shows concern for Jim's well being & swiftly shifts gages as a lawyer advising Jim not to say anything except when accompanied by him. We garner Jim was the shooter outside a high school that killed an armed student, Gavin (a sympathetic Nicholas-Tyler Corbin) for which Jim is being hailed heroic.  However, a female student was also hit in the crossfire and in critical condition.  The play is told in flashback of Jim's life which has eroded in both his job & marriage.  The mounting isolation & rage in Jim's life is palpable.  Jim's stress appears to decompress with his growing fondness & agility with firearms.  As his instructor Troy (an excellent Michael Gnat)  relieved of duties as an officer for nebulous reasons mentors Jim  on how to fire a gun at a shooting range.  Troy claims "bad guys with guns are beaten by guys with better training."  Troy also notes "The joyless fanatics find sanctity of being from guns which provide purpose.  Guns get back what was lost".  The plot involves a history of 3 friends, Jim, Bend-David (now his atty.) and Alan, a successful physician.  Jim was the odd man out in the group who never achieved the career/financial success of his old pals he used to get into unlawful mischief with as kids.  The climatic build to Jim's heralded taking down of Gavin at his daughter's high school is built on tenuous circumstances.  But the messaging hits the target.  The formula for shooting fatalities festers from alienation & easy access to firearms.   Sensible gun legislation is a must, enough is enough!