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Their rehearsals and performances were chronicled inAwakening: After Parkland, a short documentary that premiered Monday onTopic.
Ahead of the films premiere, Vulture spoke to Garrity and directors Darren Foster and Cristina Costantini.
Cristina and Darren, how did you get involved in this project?
We were there for the final week of rehearsals, opening night, and their second performance.
It was so well received that they actually wound up adding more performances.
But, you know, theyve been on a whirlwind.
With Sawyers song and the campaigning they have been doing, theyve been very active.
Sawyer, in the film you talk about how you auditioned for the play several weeks before the shooting.
I know youve been acting in plays for a long time.
Its gonna be a lot of fun, and plus, they need some girls.
Honestly, I just joined because its such a fun show.
Its teenagers cursing onstage and having fun and also showing actual problems that teenagers have, you know?
How did you feel at the end of it?
Did you ever consider not going through with it?Garrity:I think we all did.
But in the end, we were like, No, we have to do the show.
Its all about the teenagers speaking out because adults have failed them.
And thats whats happening right now.
What did you think when you learned about the documentary?
I didnt really know what to think of it.
I had been wary of the media, but once I met them, I was like, Okay.
Theyre, theyre cool.
They also told us about other work that they did, so I watched some of it.
And I was like, This is really good.
It wasnt like aJersey Shoredocumentary.
Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele came to help you rehearse.
What was that like?Garrity:It was so cool.
That night was just a really good night.
Its like a job that Im not paid for, you know?
What was that like?Cristina Costantini:It was very difficult for us to navigate.
So, it was a difficult thing for us.
It was incredible to see how they came together and had become a little family of their own.
Anyone that has a little bit of a soul is really impacted by that.
I know we were.
Weve seen this rehearsed five times now, and it still gets us.
You could attribute that to the material, but also just to the talent of these kids.
Even in rehearsals, they were bringing it every day.
Sawyer, what did it mean to you that the community responded the way it did?
Despite this tragedy, we still were able to come together and create a beautiful work of art.
It was a little tiring after four shows.
I dont think Id be able to have handled the fifth.[Laughs.
]Its just such an emotionally draining show.
I dont know how they did it on Broadway where they had to do it eight times a week.
Maybe its because of where I was when we did it.It was just so raw, you know?
In the film, you talk about wanting to be a normal kid again and realizing its not possible.
How are you doing now?Garrity:Im good.
Im actually at a college program right now at Broadway Break Thru in Chicago.
You know, there are ups and downs.
Obviously, there are days where Im not as good as other days.
Tell me about the camp.Garrity:The camp is basically four hours a day, from Monday to Thursday.
We have three groups: music, drama, and art.
It was just so cool.
There were about 25 kids, maybe a little more.
All kids from our school.
And I want them to see that kids are going to make a difference.
The whole show is about kids speaking up and then being themselves.
And thats all that really matters, you know?
Theyre doing such an incredible thing on a national scale.
I truly do believe theyre gonna change the nations laws on gun control.
Being able to be around them and their energy was just a great honor for me.
Foster:I absolutely agree with Cristina.
It was a real privilege to be able to tell this story.
These kids are still working through a trauma thats going to take a long time to get over.
It was an amazing thing that they accomplished.
