In march Columbia students will debut “The Water Children,” a play that brings a controversial topic to students’ minds through an entertaining medium, at the college’s 11th Street Campus Building 72 E. 11th street in the classic theater.

The show, run entirely by students, is about an actress who had an abortion early in her life. She aged and scored a role in a commercial about abortion, and, ironically, becomes pregnant again. She weaves in and out of reality, having dream sequences with her unborn son.

With a diverse opinion about abortion sprinkled throughout the show, the script doesn’t take a stance on the morality of the issue. The cast hopes this will open the minds of audience members and make them rethink their stance on abortion.

Senior theater major and director of the play, Kaitlin Carrow, said abortion is a topic people are quick to address their opinion on. She said this can be problematic because people don’t think for themselves or research it; they sink their teeth in the topic and won’t let go. Carrow recommends students attend the show to better educate themselves on a serious issue.

“I think it’s good for self-reflection for people,” Carrow said. “There are so many other issues we are dealing with right now in politics that I feel abortion is being pushed toward the back of people’s minds, but it’s still a thing that affects many people.”

Sophomore theater major and lead actress Emily Williams said people are going to walk away pondering the intricacies of abortion and, with that, the audience might see the opposite opinion in a new light. She said the key issue in the show is when life actually begins, and the show conveys this issue in a unique production.

“[The show] does a really good job uncovering everything. It doesn’t dance around everything,” Williams said.

“It’s good because in real life people are going to have a reason at every turn that they’re right. It’s not a polite play; it’s very real. It does a very good job portraying all walks of life and how people feel about abortion.”

The show has a $100 budget, which Carrow said isn’t much, but she said it could add a lot of personality and spirit. A show with a high budget sometimes loses out on these characteristics.

“I think when you have those challenges of not being able to throw money at the issue and solve it, it makes for a better, creative problem solving for the future,” Carrow said. “I’m all about that we have very small budgets here and very small time constraints.”

Carrow said each culture has a varied mindset about abortion. In Japan, it’s considered honorable for a family to make the decision whether or not a child will have a good life. As a result of this mindset, Japan started building Buddhist temples where they have mizuko kuyo, which are “water child” memorial services, Carrow said.

“Children who weren’t born into this world are considered sent back for another time,” Carrow said. “In Japan they believe that your personality doesn’t fully develop until you’re 5 years old.”

Junior theater major Gannon Reedy, who plays a lead role in the show, said he likes how the performance showcases a hot-button topic but presents it in an intimat​ setting.

“‘The Water Children’ is a big show and a small show at the same time,” Reedy said. “It’s big because it has abortion, and then it’s about one person’s experience with abortion. That is a lot more compelling.”

“The Water Children” is free for all Columbia students. Show times for the play are March 16-19 at 7 p.m. and 2 p.m.