Five children find themselves in a strange, empty room. No windows. No doors. And no phones to call home. How did they get there? How will they get out? As the grownups arrive, rules are quickly established, and the children must work together to find a way out – to understanding and to safety. But can they trust everyone? Who is a helper? Who is not? As they form a community, the young ones discover the truth about their mysterious existence in the space, and they must rely upon their collective skills, talents, and experiences to make it through their transformative journey.

• Inspired by and created in partnership with families in Cleveland, along with internationally recognized director Liesbeth Coltof and Cleveland Play House, this play celebrates ingenuity, humor, determination, and resilience. Shining a light upon environmental justice and the effects of lead exposure, Watching Butterflies is part of 10CHILDREN Cleveland, a new collaboration between Cleveland Play House, Cleveland State University’s School of Film & Media Arts, LAND studio, Amber N. Ford, and The MetroHealth System and its Center for Arts in Health to create a theatrical play, a documentary film, visual arts exhibits, and educational projects to create a conversation around the critical needs experienced by people living in Cleveland’s under-resourced communities.