"Thank You for Flushing My Head in the Toilet" is not something most of us can imagine ever saying. But I hope it got your attention. Bullying needs our attention. It happens to too many people in too many places, and it wrecks too many lives. As the play says, for every Columbine, there are ten thousand people who snap in ways that no one sees, imploding on the inside. Sometimes they see so little hope that the only answer they find is suicide, but my hope is that those of you who perform this play, because you're teens, will be able to get the attention of your peers in ways that adults can't. If you can do that, a discussion can begin. And that, I hope, will lead to change.

- Jonathan Dorf

About the Play

Thank You for Flushing... is what's often called a dramedy, in that it uses a strong dose of comedy to tackle an ultimately serious subject.  It requires an ensemble of 10-12 actors minimum, with no maximum.  Most roles are gender flexible, though there should be at least 3 male and 6 female actors.  Running time is 30-35 minutes. All settings are meant to be suggested, so that the play can be done in almost any kind of venue. It's ideal for one-act festivals (including Thespian competitions) or for producing at your school or youth theatre as part of an anti-bullying program (it is suitable for high school and middle school performers and audiences). Also, while the cast size may make it difficult for a professional theatre company to tour, why not partner with a local college or high school to produce it? The play is available from Playscripts by clicking here!

Now available on the Support for Your Production page is a special alternate ending that calls greater attention to the connection between bullying and teen suicide.

Synopsis

Achilles and Helen get picked on at school--a lot. Achilles has a regular date with a bully who flushes his head in the toilet, and Helen has become so afraid of the girls who ridicule her that she invents reasons to be late. So when cool girl Glinda, their "bully buddy," appears and offers them a way out, they jump at the chance. But when they realize Glinda's solution is to turn them into bullies, they both resist--and she sends them back to a school that is even worse than the one they left. Their only means of escape is to try it Glinda's way. But does saving themselves mean becoming the very people who have tormented them?

Click here to read an excerpt!