Martin & Marcella

(Ages 14+) Joel Banquo is a troubled boy with long-kept secrets carving deep trenches into his heart. Upon entering a prestigious, all-boys high school, he stumbles across a mysterious old set of statues in a church bell tower that bring his buried worries passionately back to life. In vain, Joel tries to keep his fears from his mind, but repeated discoveries and conversations with a concerned priest force his nightmares to become more frequent and horrifically realistic. As the boy struggles with memories of his mother's suicide, his father's hostility toward him, and the anxieties rooted firm within, he begins a downward spiral toward what he fears is insanity. Alongside Joel's story, an ancient Celtic legend is told, giving insight into what is really taking place: what appears as insanity resembles significantly the haunting of a legendary Irish spirit, but as Joel realizes this, he only moves faster towards self destruction.