Playmakers: "What the Constitution Means to Me"

“What the Constitution Means to Me," by Heidi Schreck, chronicles the journey of 15-year-old Heidi, who has earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful and human play, Heidi traces the profound relationship among four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.

With this play, Schreck challenges the limitations of our Constitution while also celebrating the promises it makes for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. She dives into the current cultural and political divides by offering humor, conviction and inspiration to stay involved in our civic life.

Winner of an Obie Award and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best American Play and nominated for two Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize, this play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans.

“What the Constitution Means to Me” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. This project was supported by Arts Culture Catawba through the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. It is a part of Bears Engage 2024: Democracy and Dialogue, which is designed to bring the university and the broader Catawba County community together in a sustained non-partisan conversation about civic engagement.