Edith Can Shoot Things & Hit Them
A Contextual Exploration
Written and Compiled by Madison LeFever
A Note from the Dramaturg
As you engage with Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them, this guide is intended to provide additional context for the characters, themes, and environmental and cultural influences woven throughout the play. The exploration of these elements deeply informs each character's “why,” and ultimately is what compelled me to analyze Pamatmat’s voice in this work.
"When I write about ethnicity, I try to do it from the inside. I don’t like writing about ethnicity as a thing to display to other people. I think it’s more interesting if the audience steps into your shoes."
—A. Rey Pamatmat
This statement illuminates much about Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them. It offers insight into how crucial it is to understand the characters from within their lived experiences. Through my dramaturgy research, I hope to offer you an entry point into that understanding.
This guide is not a final word, but rather a companion for you to refer back to as you immerse yourself in the world of Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them. The play is a living, breathing work, and your interpretation will only expand and enrich the ideas presented here.
About A. Rey Pamatmat
A. Rey Pamatmat is a Filipino-American playwright whose work focuses on the intersection of identity, family, and the complexities of being a queer person of color. Pamatmat's writing is informed by his deep engagement with both the personal and the political, which is evident in his exploration of LGBTQ+ themes and Asian-American experiences. Beyond his writing, Pamatmat has played a significant role in the theater community, particularly within Asian-American circles. As Co-Director of the Ma-Yi Writers Lab, he has helped shape the careers of numerous playwrights and advocated for the visibility of Asian-American voices in theater. His recognition includes a GLAAD Media Award and a Lambda Literary Award nomination, which speak to the significance of his contributions to both LGBTQ+ and Asian-American cultural narratives.
Pamatmat’s work brings his diverse experiences as a teacher, writer, and advocate into his plays. His background in acting and playwriting, combined with his involvement in development at Off-Broadway theaters and programs like the Sundance Theater Institute and SPACE on Ryder Farm, has allowed him to shape and refine a unique voice in contemporary theater. Ultimately, Pamatmat’s work challenges audiences to reconsider notions of family, identity, and community, while providing a platform for underrepresented voices in the American theater landscape. (Pamatmat)
2010
The Play & It’s History
First developed in the Ma-Yi Writers Lab. This was Public Theatre/s New Work Now series.
Originally presented by Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago as part of Ignition 2010
World Premiere at:
2011
Actors Theatre of Lousiville
Actors Express Theatre of Atlanta, GA
New Theatre of Coral Gables, FL
Mu Performing Arts of Minneapolis, MN
as a part of the National New Play Network’s Continued Life Program.
Why The Midwest??? & Intergenerational Values
Kenny and Edith’s journey captures the quiet but profound struggles tied to Filipino immigration to the Midwest, where survival often came at the cost of cultural preservation. For many Filipino families—especially those who arrived between the 1970s and 1990s—the need to adapt in culturally isolating environments often took precedence over maintaining heritage. Although the hope for better opportunities fueled migration, the lack of resources and cultural understanding made it difficult to sustain community ties. As a result, the influence of Filipino culture became fragmented, and the ability to pass it down across generations weakened, creating a growing disconnect between past and present in their story.
Intercultural Heritage in Iowa’s Immigrant Communities
U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
Edith & Kenny’s parents attended college.
opened the door for greater immigration from the Philippines. This law allowed more Filipinos to come to the U.S., especially those seeking better opportunities in the fields of education, healthcare, and professional services.
1970-1980s
Filipino immigration surged again, particularly after the Martial Law era. A large number of Filipino nurses and healthcare professionals were recruited to work in hospitals in the U.S., addressing a growing demand for healthcare workers.
Director Curiosity: The parents most likely met either in college or at a hospital that was actively recruiting experienced medical professionals.
Kenny was born…
A number of prestigious universities located in the Midwest were actively recruiting. Land in the Midwest was attractive to many immigrants, offering them opportunity and making the concept of the “American Dream” feel tangible and within reach.
1976-77
1980-81
Edith was born…
A number of prestigious universities located in the Midwest were actively recruiting. Land in the Midwest was attractive to many immigrants, offering them opportunity and making the concept of the “American Dream” feel tangible and within reach.
Cultural hybridity became common, as many young Filipino-Americans began to incorporate both Filipino and American cultural elements into their lives, including music, language, fashion, and social practices. This was especially evident in the rise of hip-hop and pop music among young Filipinos, alongside traditional Filipino cultural practices.
Anti-German sentiment leads to cultural repression. German-speaking schools close, and many German names and businesses are Anglicized.
1980-90s
1960s
First wave of German immigrants arrive in the United States. Largely settling in the Midwest, specifically Iowa, attracted to cheap land and economic opportunity.
By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Filipino families start establishing a stronger presence in Iowa through churches, cultural events, and community organizations.
1900
World War I (1914-1918)
German communities build schools, churches, and cultural centers. Iowa becomes a stronghold for German immigrants in the Midwest.
1815-1860
Queer Resources and Social Visibility in the 1980s-1990s
Trauma, Identity, and the Complexities of Self: Kenny, Edith, and Benji
Edith, Kenny, and Benji share a common struggle: each navigates the weight of their world, deeply affected by the absence and judgment of their parents. While their responses to this absence may appear passive rather than overt, it exerts a deadening grip on them, profoundly shaping their identities and relationships. The analysis below explores and offers how that absence and judgment manifest in their behavior, shaping their motivations and interactions with one another. Throughout, we see the deep emotional impact of parental influence—even in its absence—and how it intertwines with their developing identities and connections.
To analyze these characters individually, I’m using something called the ACE test—Adverse Childhood Experiences.
It’s important to note that this test isn’t all-knowing; it doesn’t predict where these kids will end up or how their adulthood will unfold. Rather, it helps inform the “why” behind their coping mechanisms and the ways they navigate the difficult circumstances they face. Patterns of abuse and neglect can inform behavior, and that is the lens I gently offer in analyzing these characters.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Credit: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Edith: Emotional abuse, physical and emotional neglect, and varied household dysfunction.
ACE Score of 7/10
Though younger, Edith has endured nearly identical trauma to Kenny—abandonment, neglect, emotional loss, and the absence of safe adult guidance. With an ACE score of 7, her reality is deeply shaped by grief she often lacks the language to express. Escapism becomes her primary means of understanding and protecting herself from the adversities she’s faced. The death of her mother and the absence of her father not only shape how she survives but also influence her perception of how the world should work. Her trauma is embedded in her body, manifesting as hyper-awareness, fierce independence, escapism, and a deep-seated need to protect the fragile world she and Kenny have worked to build.
Edith’s attachment to Fergie, her frog, is more than this “imaginary friend”; it serves as a grounding mechanism. Fergie becomes a vessel for Edith’s unspoken needs: a mother figure, a confidant, a reflection of her inner voice. This symbolic relationship evolves throughout the play and should be approached as a living, breathing bond. Fergie’s meaning is never static; it mirrors Edith’s emotional landscape. The eventual separation (or not) speaks volumes about how Edith processes grief and healing.
Her desire to carry a gun is not about violence—it’s about safety. Protection. Control. It’s a way to ensure she’s never caught off guard again. Even when Kenny tries to shield her from the full weight of their reality, Edith sees it all. She’s not naive; she’s surviving. Her instincts are sharp, her imagination vast, and her grief, much like Fergie, never fully leaves—it just transforms.
Kenny: Emotional abuse, physical and emotional neglect, and varied household dysfunction
Ace Score of 8/10
With an ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) score of 8, it's safe to say he has endured repeated emotional, physical, and psychological stress throughout his development. He’s lost his mother—both slowly and suddenly—and remains in a state of suspended grief. His father’s presence is marked only by absence: emotionally withdrawn, verbally abusive, and financially unreliable. In many ways, Kenny has had to parent himself—and his sister.
This high ACE score manifests not through dysfunction, but through hypercompetence. Kenny is controlled, practical, and emotionally reserved, but these are learned survival skills. He’s accustomed to bracing for the worst, yet he finds ways to remain tender. That tenderness is radical in its quietness. Kenny is not a victim of his circumstances, but a product of them—scrappy, loyal, and intuitive, with a deep capacity for love that persists in spite of everything.
His ability to maintain structure and care for Edith reflects both a trauma response and a deep desire for stability. Kenny rarely allows himself the luxury of being a child because the world didn’t allow it either.