Review: THE SECOND BEST SCHOOL SHOOTING at NextStop Theatre

The Second Best School Shooting at NextStop Theatre asks a brutal question: what happens to grief when the next tragedy comes along and steals the focus?

The show is riveting, thought-provoking and not to be missed. Playwright Alice Stanley Jr. deftly balances the weight of pervasive school gun violence with the dark humor and absurdity that come naturally to high schoolers. A veteran of Chicago's public schools and improv theaters, Stanley has a raw, honest understanding of post-Parkland kids. NextStop's Artistic Director Heather Lanza assembles the right cast and creative team and trusts them to walk the tightrope between comedy and catastrophe.

The Second Best School Shooting follows two friends balancing bonds, grief and the future in the days after a school shooting — grappling with how to properly grieve when a bigger tragedy eclipses your own, and the world quietly decides it mattered less.

The spare two-hander relies on the assured performances of Sadie Koopman (Ava) and Alexandra López (Parker). The long, strong tie between the two is authentic — from Barbies to vodka, from guys to college applications. In López's steady hands, the clarinet-playing, physics-phobe Parker is level, quiet and nuanced. She is focused on earning a scholarship and getting to college. In contrast, Sadie Koopman's Ava is urgently seeking answers and yearning for impact. The book knowledge of higher ed is nothing compared to forcing change now.

The two 16-year-olds witnessed what no human should. They teeter on adulthood, yet remain nearly a decade from full development of the prefrontal cortex — the brain's seat of planning, judgment and impulse control. Their instincts swing wildly: cringy, extraordinary, selfish, noble. They debate with equal fervor the appropriate speech for a vigil and the merits of competing Pop Tart flavors.

The Second Best School Shooting is an ambitious new work nurtured at NextStop — a real gamble for a theater to back a title with no built-in name recognition, and one that paid off. NextStop introduced the show earlier this year as a staged reading in its NextDraft series, which supports promising playwrights toward a world premiere. The show was originally set to premiere at NextStop, but this summer it was selected for the prestigious Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it wowed critics. This run marks its U.S. premiere.

The smart scenic design by Shartoya Jn. Baptiste has the beanbag and backpacks, neon and fluff of a high schooler's room. But glance up and you'll see school desks and chairs suspended above — they threaten to come tumbling down upon the audience at any moment. They look like they've been caught in the chaos of mid-blast. Lights by Hailey LaRoe and sound by Mo Oslejsek work seamlessly together — and with Baptiste's design. The sound and light punctuate the reliving of the shooting, building layers of sound and bleaching the color from the scene. Together, the lights and sound center us in time and in the emotional arc.

Imari Pyles' costume design is clever and intricate for a production that runs under an hour and a half. Parker is content in fleecy shorts and a band sweatshirt with her hair pulled up in a series of clips. (Has she showered the Pop Tart crumbs from her body over these days? Unlikely she's thought of it.) But Ava's look evolves in a series of crop tops and camis, flouncy miniskirts, pastel shrugs and bow-embellished jeans. She's out for impact and wants to be seen.

The Second Best School Shooting deserves a strong "afterlife" of subsequent productions throughout the country. DMV audiences have a chance to see it at its earliest stage and cheer on its likely growth and success. The U.S. premiere at NextStop is honest and raw. It allows us to use the words entertaining, wry and amusing.

The production runs through October 11 — make your way to Herndon and experience a unique and powerful show.

Runtime: Approximately 80 minutes with no intermission.

The Second Best School Shooting by Alice Stanley Jr. and directed by Heather Lanza, is presented by NextStop Theatre Company. It is performed at NextStop Theatre, 269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon, VA 20170. The production runs through Sunday, October 11, 2026~~ ~~, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., plus a Monday, September 28 performance at 7 p.m. For tickets and schedule, accessible performance information, special events, attendance policies and further information visit the company's website.

Cast: Sadie Koopman (Ava), Alexandra López (Parker), Hope Blahusch (Ava u/s) and Megan Kempton (Parker u/s).

Creative/Production: Heather Lanza (Director), Shartoya Jn. Baptiste (Scenic Designer), Hailey LaRoe (Lighting Designer), Mo Oslejsek (Sound Designer), Imari Pyles (Costume Designer), Bridgette Tran (Props Designer, Assistant Scenic Designer), Sophia Menconi (Stage Manager), Ynika Yuag (Dramaturg).

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