On Thursday, the junior and senior classes will take third and fourth period off to go and see "N*W*C*," a theatrical piece at Krannert.

The piece was developed through the stories of three college friends, one African American, one Ecuadorian American, and one Filipino American; it deals with the discrimination and racial prejudice these three students experienced.

The title is the combination of the three respective racial epithets that correspond to the three students' ethnicities. The goal of the piece is to use these terms in order to open discussion about racial issues that often estrange and divide people.

Apparently this play has sparked a lot of controversy, and I don't have to guess why. However, considering the interest of the student body in social and racial issues such as these (demonstrated last year with the 150 comments on the "Tolerance at Uni" OG article prior to commenting being closed), I am anxiously awaiting the strike of 9:50 a.m. on Thursday when we will be let out of class and commence our march to Krannert.

I'm interested in how my fellow classmates will respond to "N*W*C*." Despite the controversy and negative remarks I have heard muttered about the piece I'm eager to see for myself just how well this play handles such delicate social issues and what kind of insight I will glean from such a unique and polemical work.