Blood Offering by Vishesh Abeyratne

In the wake of yet another mass shooting in the United States, an American town is left reeling by the death of Kayla Gordon. Her teacher, Mr. Naqvi, and her classmate Farid begin to bond in their common grief. But when Kayla’s parents approach with a sinister plan to seek retribution for her death, Mr. Naqvi’s beliefs are sorely tested as he is drawn into nothing less than a battle for the soul of his young student. A white-knuckle thriller and a contemporary tragedy, Blood Offering is a powerful examination of bereavement, loss, radicalization, revenge, and the struggles of educators in underfunded public schools. Keywords: school shooting, guns, America, Muslim, Pakistani, dark satire, tragedy Produced at the Undercurrents Festival, Ottawa ON, February 2024 Cover art by Dan Bray Genre: Drama, Dark Comedy, Thriller, Tragedy Acts: 1 Run time: 75 minutes Suitable for students 16+ Content notes: Contains Abrupt Loud Noise, Guns, Mature Language, Racism, Islamophobia, Violence, Mental Health/Mental Illness Cast size: 4 actors Male roles: 3 Female roles: 1 "A difficult, timely play that [speaks] to the present moment with razor-sharp teeth...we’d be wise to take heed of the warnings it has to share." --Intermission Magazine "Thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, witty, and full of unexpected twists and turns." --Apt613 "In the age of increasing far-right extremism and Islamophobia, Abeyratne's piece is a must-watch for everyone." --The Charlatan