Perpich Students Bring Gun Violence Prevention to Life Through the Arts

October 6, 2026

Perpich Arts High School students across Theater, Musical Theater, Dance, Music, and Visual Arts brought their talents and perspectives to a powerful exploration of gun violence prevention on Monday, using the arts to encourage audiences to confront an issue that deeply affects young people and communities.

The performances took place at both Perpich and Landmark Center in St. Paul as part of “Listen to Children – Preventing Gun Violence”, a student-driven artistic response to the ongoing impact of gun violence. Through plays, musical theater ensembles, and original movement, students explored the fear, grief, and everyday realities that often go unspoken.

Perpich students in Theater, Musical Theater, Dance, Music, and Visual Arts presented “Listen to Children – Preventing Gun Violence” on October 5, 2026.

The production was largely student-run, giving the Perpich performers and directors the opportunity to take ownership of their work. Theater instructor Tory Peterson coordinated administrative details with Protect Minnesota and Applause Community Theater, allowing students to lead the creative process.

For Peterson, the experience also offered a valuable opportunity to observe students as artists and identify ways to support their growth. “It really gives me an opportunity for pre-assessment, to look at the students’ strengths and weaknesses to find where I can most help them in their arts education,” Peterson said.

For Simone Ueland (Dance 2027), the opportunity to share their voices through art made the experience especially meaningful. “The fact that in high school we’re able to go and share our voice and have people actually listen through our art was really moving for me,” Ueland said.

The dance students developed their movement for the performances, working to honor the seriousness of the subject while creating a piece that communicated their message. Ueland said the choreography explored how people can become desensitized to gun violence until a tragedy forces them to pay attention. “We become so immune to it that we can’t see it as just a real thing,” Ueland said. The performance, they hoped, would help audiences see the issue from a different perspective.

For students in the theater department, the production also offered an opportunity to tell stories directly and honestly. Rylee Bieniek (Theater 2027), who participated in last year’s gun violence prevention performance as an actor, returned this year with a new perspective on the work. Bieniek appreciated the scripts’ direct approach and the connections formed among cast members.

Geo Stevens (Musical Theater 2027) also stepped into a new role, directing a play for the first time. The experience brought logistical challenges, including coordinating a large cast with limited rehearsal time, but Stevens was proud of how the performers came together. “It was just, I think, refreshing to get to explore the issue with people beyond the theater department”, Stevens said. “It was nice to get to bring that to light and actually be like, ‘Hey, let’s talk about this.’”

For students Serenity Sanders (Musical Theater 2028) and Maxxine Goihl (Musical Theater 2028), participating meant stepping outside their comfort zones to be part of something larger than themselves. Sanders said the experience helped her push past her shyness in what was her first on stage role. Goihl found a deeper connection with a scene partner through conversations about their characters and the importance of the stories they were telling. “I’m very, very glad I did,” Goihl said. “These stories should be heard.”

Together, the performances gave students an opportunity to use their artistic training in service of a difficult but important conversation. For the young artists involved, the experience was not just about putting on a show. It was about helping audiences recognize the realities of gun violence, listen to the people affected by it, and consider what it means to create change.

“Listen to Children – Preventing Gun Violence” was presented by Protect Minnesota and Perpich Arts High School, with support from Applause Community Theater.

Protect Minnesota is an independent, state-based gun violence prevention organization operating as a grassroots nonprofit in Minnesota. Founded in 1991, it is the oldest and only independent statewide group dedicated specifically to reducing gun-related injuries and fatalities through public health initiatives, legislative advocacy, and community investment

Applause Community Theatre (ACT) is a volunteer-powered collective of actors, directors, designers, technicians, and playwrights committed to spotlighting new voices and rarely performed works. For more than fifty years, ACT has created affordable, intimate, and thought-provoking theatre that fosters community and sparks meaningful dialogue across Minnesota.