Previews: ENOUGH! at ThinkTank Theatre

Tonight, don't miss a powerful and timely production, ENOUGH!, the nationwide gun violence prevention program returning to the stage. This event is more than just a reading—it's part of a collective movement, and artistic director Georgia Mallory Guy’s perspective offers insight into why ThinkTank Theatre remains committed to this essential cause.

Guy shares, "We've thoroughly enjoyed being part of the program since we first joined up with the Enough! organization in Spring of 2022. I don't know that I really think of it as being motivated each year to participate as much as I think of what the program brings our community and awareness around gun violence prevention. When they told us in 2024, they were going to take the year off and they would be coming back in the fall of 2025, we already had our calendars marked to participate."

Her experience with ENOUGH! has deepened over the years: "The best evolution in being involved with the organization and doing the reading now for the third time is we've learned how it's structured, how to utilize the elements that they send you for social media and for press releases and an assortment of elements to help get the word out. Because we've had the opportunity to be involved the past two producing seasons, we actually got to be a little bit more hands-on with helping the organization foster new companies and organizations that were hoping to get involved with this year's reading. We were able to speak at a couple of the preliminary Zoom sessions and give our perspective to companies or organizations looking to produce for the first time and talk with them about those elements that we found to be a challenge, and how we overcame them and those elements that came easier to putting the package together."

The significance of being part of a national movement resonates deeply with her and her team: "Well first and foremost I think it's just a really cool event to be part of. The fact that we're one of 71 organizations that are taking part in this day of reading just really gives you a feeling of accomplishment and that you're part of something bigger than your community, while also being immersed in your community. It's just a really unique feeling to know that at the time you're doing the reading there are multiple other organizations doing the reading with you. And then an hour later in the next time zone someone else is doing the reading and two hours later someone else is doing the reading. It just makes you feel like you're part of something that's bigger than just being an organization in your local community, while at the same time you're bringing the focus to your community because you're part of this. We're proud of that and we're really proud to be one of three readings happening here in the state of Florida."

When it comes to producing shows written by teens, Guy emphasizes the professionalism and talent on display: "Honestly we don't approach it any differently. All of the plays are incredibly well written. The Enough! organization sends you the breakdown of materials which includes casting, and you could cast for a group as large as 50 people or, as we've done it, with a group as small as eight people. Once we get the breakdowns for the plays, we begin looking for how to best cast for the characters that are written into the stories. Fortunately just like with all of our professional plays, we have an opportunity to showcase our intern company alongside professional actors in the area."

The impact of these readings is immediate and lasting. She notes, "The readings tend to stir a lot emotionally when we've produced them in the past and provoke incredibly poignant conversation during the talkbacks. We've gotten feedback from past surveys where people have looked to get involved with local organizations for gun violence prevention and have asked us when we're doing the reading in the future moving forward. We try to supply our audience members attending this event information on how to get in touch with local and State politicians to be able to advocate for what they heard during the reading and perhaps the thoughts that were evoked for them. It's always my hope that the feeling that's resonating as we leave the event that night continues for our audience members. In reality, we know that for some it will stay very poignant and for others it won't carry the same impact. But what's more important to us is being a community in the room for that moment and again knowing that 70 other communities across the nation are listening to these same stories."

Staging ENOUGH! in Tampa Bay brings a unique local energy: "I think what makes it unique is that it's us. Every community is going to bring its own particular vibe and their own particular voice. What we will bring is those Tampa Bay voices and community members into the room in front of their peers."

On community engagement, Guy reflects, "I think people hearing that it's about the effects of gun violence on the community automatically leads them to believe it takes a stance against those who might be gun owners. What the plays truly examine is the effects of gun violence on communities and on individuals, on families, on friendships, etc. It's more about how do we ensure that our community isn't affected in these ways moving forward. That's a much larger conversation to be had around responsibility and protection.”

Finally, Guy’s hope for tonight’s audience is a wake-up call to complacency. "Each year the readings really seem to pinpoint what's happening nationally and how we're feeling emotionally as a nation around the elements of gun violence. I think this year the plays hit that same mark and they are a poignant reflection of what we are facing as a country right now in regard to gun violence and the effects on our communities. The fact that we've become too accustomed to it being a part of our weekly news feed is eye-opening. I know I'm guilty of it. What I hope the audience takes away this year is the recognition of when we become complacent around these events happening and really begin questioning ourselves about what does it mean that we're feeling that way and how can we overcome that."