What the Constitution Means to Me

Playwright Heidi Schreck’s boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans. Fifteen year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions. In this hilarious and hopeful play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the relationship between four generations of family and the founding document that shaped their lives. It offers a uniquely human look at our civic roots, celebrating the enduring spirit of democracy with wit and heartfelt storytelling. This Tony-nominated and Pulitzer Prize finalist invites every citizen to reflect on their own place in the ongoing American story.

Please note: This performance will not allow for late seating.

Content Warnings/Age Recommendations

Contains mature and at times intense themes, including descriptions of sexual violence within a family and threats of murder. This performance is recommended for ages 14 and older with parent/guardian discretion.

Themes

• This play highlights the ways in which a long-established document has failings and blind spots that directly affect us today. Why do you think it’s hard to change things that have been a certain way for a long time?
• One of the main questions that this play asks is whether it is better to improve the current document, or start over from scratch. This question is relevant for us in other contexts as well. What do you think the challenges of starting from scratch would be? How would you weigh the pros and cons?
• Along with discussing how the Constitution works, she shares how personally this document has affected the lives of four generations of women in her own family. What are ways in which government documents or laws have personal impacts for you and/or your loved ones?

Accessibility

Many performance venues offer accessibility accommodations such as wheelchair seating, assistive listening, sensory ear plugs, ASL interpretation, open captioning, or audio description, among other options. These accommodations are specific to each event, and may not be available everywhere. When registering with us, please let us know what accommodations you need and we will follow up with you!

Transportation

If you do not have access to a ride, call Project Success and we can provide transportation for you. Please let us know if you need a ride when you make your reservation. We will need at least 2 days’ notice to set up transportation.

Childcare

Childcare is available for this performance. Please let us know if you need childcare when you make your reservation.

Additional Media

Playwright and performer Heidi Schreck discusses the context and intent of the play: