[Trigger warning: this article mentions themes of school shootings and violence that inspired a play]
Lockdown drills. Active shooter protocols. Classrooms turned bunkers.
For today’s students, these aren’t rare events — they’re a fact of life. But dragons come to the rescue in “Guns in Dragonland,” a new play written by Ithaca College junior acting major Eislinn Gracen. Sort of.
This August, a passionate team of Ithaca College students will perform the show at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, bringing a story of childhood, fear, imagination and resilience to a global audience.
What is ‘Guns in dragonland’?
At first glance, “Guns in Dragonland” seems like a children’s show. In reality, it’s a surreal, emotionally layered play that uses five vignettes to explore how young people cope with the constant threat of gun violence. Each child conjures a dragon – imaginary protectors that help them process trauma, grief and confusion in a world that too often fails to protect them.
Gracen was inspired to write the play after a conversation with her younger brother, who had just experienced a school lockdown. His innocence and inability to fully grasp why he and his classmates were hiding sparked a realization about how deeply normalized fear has become for American children.
“The story explores the hardship of growing up in a country where the threat of gun violence is inescapable,” Gracen explains. “By doing so, it aims to spread awareness about the unhealable trauma that fear, violence and death have instilled in our country.”
Despite its heavy themes, the play balances grief with imagination and awkward humor with bittersweet hope. It’s not a tragedy — it’s a mirror.
Meet the student team
Produced by Los Angeles Theatre Initiative at Ithaca College, “Guns in Dragonland” is a completely student-driven production. Every performer, director, designer and crew member is an IC student juggling classes, jobs and late-night rehearsals to bring this show to life.
Creative Team
- Playwright: Eislinn Gracen ’26
- Director: Zoe Bell Williams ’25
- Producer: February Schneck ’25
- Assistant Director: Kathrynn Meuser ’25
- Stage Manager: Chriss Waterman ’27
- Associate Stage Manager: Ana Bernstein ’27
- Props/Scenic Design: Sydney Hogue ’27
- Lighting Design: Charlie Jurta ’26
- Sound Design: Ted Heavner ’26
- Costume Design: Nico Padilla ’26
- Dramaturges: Are Stein ’27 & MJ Jacobs ’27
Cast
- Eloise Mae ’25 as Lilah and Alice
- Clark Schutz ’27 as Toucan and Jaxon
- Andrea Chavez ’26 as Alana
- Larissa Hechmer ’26 as Naomi and Casey
- Bella Beauxlynn Dandrea ’26 as Breeze and Jason
- Valerie Wick ’27 as Cherry Pancake and Monica
- Andrew Levin ’26 as Anthony and Drill Announcer
- Christian Lawson ’26 as Scabbard and Jared
- Abigail Monteagudo ’27 as Jelly
- Isabella Cruz ’27 as Nicole
why this story matters
According to The Trace, 6,192 children and teens were shot in the U.S. in 2023, and more than 1,600 of them died. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death among American youth. Yet the emotional toll it takes — the fear, confusion, lasting trauma often goes undiscussed.
That’s where “Guns in Dragonland” steps in. It doesn’t offer easy solutions. Instead, it offers empathy. And imagination. It allows kids — on stage and in the audience, to be vulnerable in ways we don’t often see.
Help these dragons fly to fringe
Performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is a dream come true, but it comes with a steep price tag. The student team is currently raising funds to help cover:
- Round Trip flights to Edinburgh
- Accommodations and meals
- Travel insurance and venue fees
- Production costs (sets, costumes, props, etc.)
You can donate here if you’d like to support these incredible student artists and help this important story reach a global audience.
Want to make a tax-deductible donation? The project is fiscally sponsored through Fractured Atlas via the Los Angeles Theatre Initiative. DM @ithaca_lati for details.
“This play is for the kids who still believe in dragons, and the ones who’ve had to become them.” – Eislinn Gracen