It’s been more than 15 years since Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold attacked Columbine High School in Aurora, Colo., killing 12 students and one teacher; but it’s back in the news thanks to a play set to premiere in New York next month that relives the massacre from the perspective of the killers.

The curtain will rise on The Erlkings Nov. 9. The work of playwright Nathaniel Sam Shapiro, the play will craft dialogue from Harris and Klebold based on the killers’ own writings in chatrooms, diaries and homework assignments. Shapiro wants audiences to better understand Harris and Klebold—not as monsters but people.

“It’s kind of incumbent upon us to swallow our pride or move past our own issues and try to reach out to these people,” Shapiro said. “Learning about Eric and Dylan, one thing that sticks out is that I don’t think anyone reached out to them.” (Associated Press)

Paul Asay has written for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for PluggedIn and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He recently collaborated with Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, on his book The Good Dad. He lives in Colorado Springs with wife, Wendy, and his two children. Check out his entertainment blog at Patheos.com/blogs/WatchingGod or follow him on Twitter.