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Arts & Music

SPOTLIGHT: No Child

Nilaja Sun in No Child. Photo courtesy of Playmakers Repertory Company
Inspired by her own experiences as a theater teacher in some of the rowdiest schools in New York, Nilaja Sun’s one-woman play No Child tells the story of a teacher trying to lead a group of students through a performance of the 1988 play Our Country’s Good.

No Child, directed by Hal Brooks, takes place at the fictional Malcolm X High School, and for 65 minutes Sun introduces the audience to a wide array of characters, from sassy students to an idealistic new teacher, all lovable in their own quirky way and full of plenty of wit to elicit more than a laugh or two.

The play’s title refers to the “No Child Left Behind” act created by the Bush administration, and it gives viewers a glimpse into America’s school system as encountered by Sun: a place full of hope and hopelessness, failure and success and overall love.

The play runs Jan. 11-15 at the Kenan Theater in the Center for Dramatic Arts at UNC. Tickets range from $10 to $35. Visit playmakersrep.org for more information.