Holding On, Letting Go: A Full-length Play

Holding On, Letting Go is a powerful and deeply human play about love, loss, and the long shadow of violence.When Sarah’s brother is murdered, her life is forever changed. In the immediate aftermath—and across the decades that follow—she struggles to make sense of grief that refuses to fade. Through personal reflection, evolving relationships, and participation in a support group for survivors of homicide loss, Sarah confronts not only the tragedy itself, but the complicated truths surrounding her past and her own journey toward understanding.Spanning fifty-five years, Holding On, Letting Go explores what it means to survive when closure is impossible—and how healing often comes not from forgetting, but from facing the truth.More than a play, this volume includes an extensive resource section featuring books, articles, films and documentaries, support groups, and organizations—making it a valuable guide for individuals, families, and communities coping with the aftermath of homicide.Advance Praise “Holding On, Letting Gois the story of a murder and its aftermath that needs to be told. This literary work will surely prompt important conversations—and will stay with me for a very long time.”—Sue M., book club organizer and former teacher“This is an intriguing play. Anyone who has lost someone close to them will benefit from the range of emotions this play evokes.”—Greg Davis, author of Checkmate: Tips & Lessons to Help You Make the RightMoves to Achieve Happiness“Dr. Jan Yager’s inspirational play is filled with such real emotion that you can feel it through every page. Her writing made me feel like I was living the story alongside the characters and experiencing each moment with them.”—Vick Qiu, Associate Director of Student Intervention and Community Standards, Barnard CollegeAuthor Bio Jan Yager, Ph.D., the former Janet Lee (J.L.) Barkas, is an award-winning author 70 books+ across fiction, nonfiction, and dramatic literature. She studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, at the Gene Frankel Theatre Workshop, and was a freelance theater critic for Backstage for 7 years. Her play Between Friends was a finalist in the Utah Shakespeare Festival New Playwrights Program. A member of the Dramatists Guild of America and the Authors Guild, Dr. Yager holds a Ph.D. in sociology and has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in criminology and victimology since her mid-twenties, including, since Fall 2014, at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY. For more information, visit drjanyager.com. Read more