$10 BOY by Allison Orr Block
Sunday, May 20th at 6:30 pm
Hyde Park Theatre, 511 W. 43rd St.
On September 17, 1976, a 14-year-old boy was shot and killed by a police officer. Shortly afterward, a grand jury found the policeman to be innocent of criminal charges, deeming the boy’s death accidental. In a pursuit for justice and an attempt to change the ways of a small police department in Morrow, Georgia, the boy’s father sought the help of W. Fred Orr II, a civil trial attorney (and the playwright’s father). Surprisingly, the suit took two trials for a jury to come to a decision – devastating both the boy’s father and his attorney. Haunted by the trial her father would never discuss, Baby dives into a journey to understand how the outcome came to be. In her discovery, she finds evidence of a fragile justice system, fake news and a father that loved her more than she knew. Part documentary theatre, $10 BOY is a compilation of trial depositions, courtroom transcripts, interviews, letters, Facebook posts, and the playwright’s conversations with her deceased father.
Allison Orr Block holds two theatre degrees: a B. A. in Theatre Performance from California State University, Northridge and an M.F.A. in Drama / Theatre for Youth from The University of Texas at Austin. As a playwright, Allison has had productions in Los Angeles, San Antonio, Austin, and New York City. Allison first became a member of ScriptWorks in 1998! She has received Seed Support funding for two projects: Lizelle and $10 Boy.