Cast: 3m., 3w. On the Line, set in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1912 at the time of the woolen mill strikes in New England, is designed to involve young people in exploring the industrial revolution of the late 19th and early 20th century. But it is more than an in-depth examination of another era. It provides young audiences a yardstick by which to measure their own lives at a time when they are struggling to establish their own identities and values. On the Line can also be performed as a participation play for and with middle-school students, all of whom take part in the play—some as immigrant workers, some as strikers (many of them were actually teenagers), and some as members of the militia assigned to control the picket lines. Bare stage. Approximate running time: 1 hour.