Written and performed by nine New York City teenagers at the Actor's Playhouse, Understand to be Understood offers a look into a typical day at school for several high school students, a teacher and a security guard. However, what usually is routine in the school -- arguments, security checks and fed-up teachers -- sets off a chain of events that enlightens the students of just how brutal their lives are. A metal detector looms stage right and ironically is the cause of insecurity among the students. The detector also creates a barrier that the writers of the play seek to challenge.

Aside from the metal detector, a screen hangs in the back of the small stage, amplifying the actor's shadows and reflecting colored lights to signify a change in mood. The only other props are a keyboard on stage left, and tables and chairs that build different settings. Each writer performs as a character who, aside from interacting with other students, gives the audience insight on what he or she thinks during a given situation. The narration is oftentimes humorous and reveals fragments of each character's past, but the characters are looking for more than just a good laugh.

When challenged by the policies of their school, each character's thoughts and actions oftentimes contradict one another. Jean, a humorous young man who attends class with a Yankees cap pulled low, is bitter after his English teacher admits that his first impression of Jean was shattered only after Jean made good grades. Jean then tells the audience, "Society perceives me as a nobody first, and a somebody later", indicating that he wants to be treated as an individual among a restless student body. Moments later Jean follows the excitement of the crowd and causes trouble with his friends.

The contradiction between each character's thoughts and behavior tells the audience how setting affects the lives of the students. All of the students have good intentions, but worry they can't show their real personalities when around their peers. They do not want their peers to reject their individual hopes, weaknesses and fears. At the same time, the characters are fed-up with prejudgments and have no patience for coping with unjust situations. P. Killah, a notorious gang banger with little tolerance during class, admits, "I used to think school's an escape, but [now] it's just a reminder that my life is one big f***-up." With such frustration, many students resort to arguments and violence to establish respect among their peers.

The quality of the performance given by each of the actors can't easily be judged. Each actor has something important to say but struggles with finding ease on stage. Though the script is raw and blunt, the actors stumble over their words and confuse the audience by using expressions that do not resemble their character's personalities. The actors often trip over one another as well. Transitions between scenes are rough. On the other hand, the writers of Understand to be Understood show their creativity with expression by integrating spoken word, step, and rap (with song on a keyboard) to illustrate their characters' personalities. The audience appreciates the well-blended mix and recognizes the effort the writers put into creating the script.

By the end of the play, the cast has successfully offered a short, riveting insight into the lives of the average student in public high schools. The dominance of violence in school may not be something that every teenager can relate to, which may make Understand to be Understood difficult to comprehend, but the issue does exist in many students' lives throughout New York City. The writers of the play share their personal experiences with the audience with hopes that they can raise awareness to the problems with security in public high schools, and furthermore reach an understanding about the need to define students' lives outside of security checks and stereotypes.