Unbarred

Do the crime, do the time behind bars. But once you've been in, it can be tough to stay out. Tension between African Americans and Somalis at Rodney's high school erupts into a food fight that turns into a riot. In the midst of the violence, Rodney helps a Somali classmate to safety. Soon Rodney and Jawahir fall for each other. Against the pleas of their families and friends, they can't help but follow their hearts. As groups on both sides of the fight harbor lingering resentment, Rodney and Jawahir are caught in the middle. Rodney is determined to avoid trouble, having served a previous stint at the County Home School. But in a world where hate seems to rule, can Rodney and Jawahir keep their flame of love alive? Or will their relationship ignite a fire that destroys all in its path? This modern twist on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet explores the themes of love vs. loyalty and societal clashes.

Do the crime, do the time behind bars. But once you've been in, it can be tough to stay out. Ian's band is finally taking off. But the band's front man and Ian's best friend, Orlando, can't catch a break as a black kid in their white town. Tension with a security guard lands both Ian and Orlando in jail, and when Orlando is held indefinitely, someone will need to take over the band until he gets out. When Orlando chooses Chase, the band's bassist, to step in, Ian is slighted. As Ian's resentment builds, he plots his revenge. One by one, he turns his bandmates against one another, with tragic results. As Ian holds his friends close and his enemies closer, no one can tell which is which-until it's too late. This modern twist on Shakespeare's Othello takes a gritty look at betrayal, revenge, and obsession.

Do the crime, do the time behind bars. But once you've been in, it can be tough to stay out. When Hinton Helsinger leaves the Youth Correctional Center, he's set on reforming his impulsive ways. But things at home have changed: his dad has been killed, his mom's remarried his uncle, and his uncle is the new kingpin of the family gang that controls the town's drug trade. Threatened by Hinton's return, Hinton's uncle hatches a sinister plot using Hinton's girlfriend, Olivia, as a pawn. As Hinton struggles between the impulse to avenge his dad's death and the desire to seek a way out of that corrupt life, he embarks on a downward spiral of revenge and madness from which he and those he loves are unlikely to escape. This modern twist on Shakespeare's Hamlet explores the themes of reform, revenge, and self-destruction.

Do the crime, do the time behind bars. But once you've been in, it can be tough to stay out. Alejandro has served six months for trumped-up charges after a brutal encounter with police. Now that he's out, he's determined to break ties with his gang and forge a new path. But it won't be simple. When Alejandro sees a video of a local girl suffering a similar police assault, he knows he has to meet her. The connection between Alejandro and Chrissie is electric. They just want to move forward-together. But Alejandro's family doesn't approve of Chrissie. Chrissie's family pushes her to go after the police; however, she'd rather just back off the issue. As police violence continues, Chrissie and Alejandro are compelled to help bring justice. But are they willing to hatch a plan that puts them back in harm's way? This modern twist on Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra explores questions of retreating, fighting back, and defending what you love.