The Panic Defense

How do you get away with murder? Try the Panic Defense. A renowned local chef, a recovering alcoholic, an aspiring cosmetologist, and a special needs student are just like all human beings, except they're not — at least not in the eyes of the people who murdered them. The Panic Defense is a documentary-style drama loosely based on four actual murder cases. In the manner of story theatre, similar in structure to The Laramie Project (but this is not a verbatim play) the plot unfolds through monologues and dialogue. We meet Travis, a transplanted southern, gay "Gringo" Chef; Maxine, a transgender woman who is desperately trying to live her truth; Mike, a bisexual truck driver who is on the road to recovery from alcohol addiction and Benny, a bullied, "special needs" 8th grader, who has just begun to express a new gender identity. Each of these characters convey their individual hopes and dreams, until their lives are cut short by violence.