What Exactly Are They Leaving Us?

Abington Friends School is no stranger to students running the show, especially in the theater department. Just last year, the second act of the spring show, Iphigenia Among the Taurians, was almost entirely student adapted, even being tastefully rewritten by Anjali Tremblay ‘26 and Nelson Cordon ‘25. Although Cordon has now graduated, Tremblay still has a few more weeks left, and she, along with her partner in crime, Josephine Zemsky ‘26 are making the most of it. 

The two of them have decided to use their capstone to produce a show written and directed by Tremblay, with the technical half run by Zemsky. If you’ve seen the announcements, posters, or social media posts, then you already know that I’m talking about All They Left Us. 

“I started writing this play when I was in [Upper School Theatre teacher] Kittson [O’Neill]’s Writing for Stage and Screen class last year… The only prompt was ‘write a play’… I could write about whatever I want,” said Tremblay. She commented on enjoying the freedom to write in her own voice, instead of having to follow the strict rules of Euripides. 

Zemsky joined the project soon after. She said, “This is brand new, so it’s really exciting,” The sentiment was shared by everyone on the team as they joined, eventually landing at eleven people in total both on and off stage. 

Sage Solonynka ‘29, the stage manager, said, “There’s just something really great about having it in high school. No adults, and it’s just us in a room making art. I think that young people’s art is great.” 

“It’s born of passion, it’s not forced. It’s not for an arts credit,” said Maddie Freeman-Bibbs ‘27 who plays Dawn in the show. 

However, it isn’t just the show’s origin that encourages this passion, the plot itself does too. In every script, one of the first things you can find is the “Time & Place” paragraph, also known as the context for the show. Here, the reader is informed that the show takes place “Somewhere where the rich eat, the Earth dies, and humans learn how to be human.”

The plot focuses on five characters in a dystopian, technologically dependent future. Despite living in the same area, and even the same building for most, they have never interacted with one another. 

When the power goes out, thereby killing their automated lifestyles, they are left clueless on what to do. Making the situation all the worse, every bit of plantlife has by now succumbed to the pollution encompassing the planet itself. To have any chance of survival the five must venture out and remember how to connect the way people did eighty years in the past. 

The show goes on to highlight the importance of caring for one another, as well as the Earth we live on.

“I want people to walk out of the theater needing to do something to help… They should want to help the Earth immediately.” said Tremblay.

“It’s just really a show of where we’re heading if we don’t lock in,” said Freeman-Bibbs. 

In order to help us lock in, all proceeds made from All They Left Us will go to the Rainforest Alliance. Even by simply coming to the show, you’re directly supporting the environment. In the words of Silas (played by myself), “Let’s clean this up.” 

If that somehow doesn’t interest you, then perhaps you have a friend working on the show that you’d like to support! 

Whatever your reason is, come see All They Left Us on June 5 and 6 at 6:30pm. Tickets are available!