Nominated for the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play (TYA).
In FIRST DAY BACK, you enter a school the day after a gay ninth grader, Ollie, killed himself following years of bullying. There’s an eerie hush in the halls as Ollie’s friends and tormenters gather to figure out who’s responsible and what they can do now. But does Ollie himself hold the answers for a way forward?
All parts may be played by a single male or female performer, or split among 8 performers (6 male, 2 female).
First produced by Ten Foot Pole Theatre, Toronto, June 2015
Keywords: gay, lgbt, bullying, teen, teenager, school, high school, suicide, support, queer, lgbtq, gay-straight alliance, cyberbullying
Genre: Drama
Run time: 50 minutes
Acts: 1
Maximum number of roles: 8
Minimum number of roles: 1
Suitable for students aged 12+
“Richly thoughtful… Salerno presents each character with emotional truth.”
– Now Magazine
“From the moment I sat down, I felt like I was back in high school… It’s a thought-provoking yet entertaining piece of theatre.”
– Gay Theatre Toronto
“A poignant, non-preachy, surprisingly funny work… It felt just like high school.”
– Xtra
– Now Magazine
“From the moment I sat down, I felt like I was back in high school… It’s a thought-provoking yet entertaining piece of theatre.”
– Gay Theatre Toronto
“A poignant, non-preachy, surprisingly funny work… It felt just like high school.”
– Xtra