LIHU‘E — When it comes to discussing issues like teen suicide, sexually transmitted diseases and body image, some teenagers might shy away. Tonight, 10 Kaua‘i middle and high school students will explore some of these challenges though performance art. Hawai‘i
LIHU‘E — When it comes to discussing issues like teen suicide, sexually transmitted diseases and body image, some teenagers might shy away. Tonight, 10 Kaua‘i middle and high school students will explore some of these challenges though performance art.
Hawai‘i Children’s Theatre’s Pono Players is an educational program that addresses problems confronting today’s youth. There is a free public performance at 7 p.m. tonight at the KAPA Theatre in Puhi.
“This is a peer education program,” says Pono Players program coordinator Nellie Foster in a press release. “Which means student actors are involved in creating, developing and presenting the material to their peers. Their innovative approach allows teens to relate to the material and not feel like they are being lectured.”
What the group hopes to achieve is the opportunity to present their program to schools island wide. Laurel Petterson McGraw and Leah Harry direct and coach students from Kaua‘i High School and Island School to create pieces addressing HIV/STD’s and teen suicide. Jene’ Pugmire of Waimea Middle School will have her students performing vignettes that focus on body image and eating disorders using sketches with the characters Knife, Fork and Spoon to expose the difficulty teens have with pressure to have the “perfect” body.
“All of the material has been generated by the students,” Petterson McGraw said. “They wanted to create scenarios specific to their life experience growing up on Kaua‘i.”
Through monologue, dance, popular music parody, puppets and “Playback” theater techniques the actors take challenging issues and translate them into non-threatening and interesting performance pieces.
‘Playback Theatre technique is interactive with the audience,” Petterson McGraw said. “The audience shares their stories then the actors improvise it — they’re directly relating to the audience experience.”
Most of the material grew from improvisational techniques though.
“We’d improv then take what worked best and refine it,” said Island School senior Adel Cardoso. “With the freedom of improv it just kept getting better and better.”
Hawai‘i has a crucial need for education, information and support to be made available to its teens.
“Statistically, Kaua‘i has the highest suicide rate per capita,” said Petterson McGraw.
Foster is coordinating performances in the schools in a collaborative effort with Malama Pono and the YWCA as supporting agencies. The team is also developing a brochure for students to use as a resource and information guide.
“It is our hope that creating an awareness of these important issues and providing resources for support and prevention will help our teens deal with these issues,” Foster said.
There will be no charge for the performance but donations are accepted. Seating is limited so reservations are recommended; Call 246-8985.
Foster hopes teachers and administrators will attend to evaluate the program for use in their classroom. To bring the Pono Players to the classroom, contact Foster at 808-212-4050 or e-mail nellie613@gmail.com. Complete scripts will be provided to interested parties prior to scheduling performances.
