Prime Stage Theatre’s Speak Finds Its Voice

By Mingsi Ma

Prime Stage Theatre has its world premiere of Speak, a new play adapted from the novelf the same name by Laurie Halse Anderson. It’s a story about high schooler Melinda’s rite of passage as she navigates bullying, isolation, and a traumatic sexual assault, ultimately finding the courage to speak up. It reminds us how the teenage years can be overwhelming: struggling to find a place in school, longing to be understood by teachers and parents, and trying to comprehend a vast world with limited knowledge – still green, like an unripe apple. It’s incredible that, 27 years after Anderson published her book in 1999, the story of Speak has never aged.

A world premiere is always exciting in its own unique way. It still retains a sense of artistic risk, leaving room for meaningful discovery. The original novel of Speak was written in first person, like a diary, with a heavy emphasis on Melinda’s inner monologues and her daily encounters at school. In this adaptation, playwright Tammy Ryan uses a second Melinda to externalize her interiority and amplify the voice she withholds.

Photo: (l-r) Eamonn McElfresh, Aylee Gardner, Jacqueline Germer have a heated classroom encounter. Photo by Laura Slovesko.

(l-r) Melinda’s subconscious self (Jacqueline Germer) consoles Melinda (Aylee Gardner). Photo by Brandon Pierce.

Aylee Gardner plays Melinda, while Jacqueline Germer plays the second Melinda. The two both wear blue sweaters and jeans. Gardner’s Melinda is the “self” presenting herself to the external world. She likes to hide her hands under the sleeves of her oversized sweaters. When she gets nervous, her mind seems to wander, and she hides her hands between her thighs. In contrast, Germer’s Melinda is lively, caring, and outspoken, with a lot more open posture. She appears to possess more wisdom and emotional strength, better equipped to handle the difficulties a high schooler faces.

Initially, when Germer’s Melinda comforts Gardner’s Melinda during a panic attack in a kind and nurturing way, I understood her as the “future self,” or the “ideal, aspired self,” guiding the quiet “present self” to break through her shackles. If the purpose of having a second Melinda on stage is to reveal the character’s inner thoughts in real time as a way of paying tribute to the novel’s first-person narrative, I’d say the two Melindas seem to lack a subtle yet cohesive personality undertone that could ground the dual portrayal despite their contrasting appearances. This feels especially noticeable at the beginning of the play, when Melinda has not yet come into her agency. At times, the second Melinda feels underutilized as a dramatic device, especially in foregrounding Melinda’s internal struggles and building toward a smoother emotional crescendo that makes her transformation feel more fully realized.

Art teacher Mr. Freeman (Jeff Johnston) tries to inspire students to pursue the power of creative expression. Photo by Brandon Pierce.

The play draws us to Melinda’s world. Tammy Ryan uses an ensemble to embody crowds and classmates, a social bubble that a “wounded zebra” like Melinda can’t fit into. Director Dana Hardy Bingham recreates a convincing high school environment through the ensemble’s constant movement and collective presence. This Prime Stage Theatre production features mostly high school and college undergraduate performers in these teenage ensemble/student roles. It is encouraging to see a play providing so many valuable onstage opportunities for early-career performers.

Speak follows Melinda as she navigates a world of classmates, teachers, and family members who often add to her isolation. There are ex-best friends who sabotaged the friendship, a creepy sex offender hidden under the disguise of a popular senior student, a teacher who treats Melinda unfairly, and parents whose marriage is in crisis. I truly feel sorry for Melinda.

Still, Speak is never about indulging oneself in vulnerability or learned hopelessness caused by external environments. It highlights Melinda’s growing sense of agency through self-discovery and finding her voice, which ultimately brings both her and the audience strength and hope. The challenge is not that Melinda doesn’t want to speak up. It is that she can’t yet.

Surprisingly, what moves me the most is not how Aylee Gardner’s Melinda pushes the bully away and speaks up about her trauma at the end. It is when her Melinda says no to an unreasonable request from her classmate Heather, played by Grace Gouwens – the first time I notice Melinda ever saying no, clearly and loudly. I cannot help but quietly cheer for her as she begins to set boundaries and protect herself. Though the character sets her boundaries in an abrupt and awkward way, she does the best she can in taking that first step. Such imperfection matters, marking her baby steps toward a larger realization. Similar moments in our own lives deserve to be celebrated with the same weight.

Prime Stage Theatre’s Speak, adapted from the novel of the same name by Laurie Halse Anderson, runs May 1–10, 2026. You can learn more here.