The Boston Foundation has awarded the Players a Vision Fund grant to bring together a group of board members, advisory board, actors, friends, donors, teachers - to make plans that will set the stage for the Improbable Players future.
This exciting opportunity will give the visioning team time to wrestle with challenging issues: how should programs change in the face of new social media? How can Improbable Players build a more diverse, creative and engaged company to reach people young and old about addiction and recovery? How can we best reach out and deliver our message through the arts?
spring theater workshops
many collaborative programs this semester
Point Webster Middle School and Impact Quincy
South Boston Hope & Recovery and South Boston Community Center
Watertown Middle School and Watertown Community Foundation and Watertown-Harvard Charitable Fund
Jackson-Mann Middle School and Allston-Brighton Substance Abuse Task Force
"fun way to get connected to the outside world"
Point Webster Middle School's Peer Advocates worked with Players teaching artist, Dennis S., to create scenes that showed, "We get the Point, we are ATOD (alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs) free!"
Here's what the middle school audience thought:
* It was funny and it was better than being lectured in class.
* I love how they all act and how they made their own script.
* They showed that you don't need drugs or alcohol to have fun.
* I learned about ATOD and got a peek on acting..
* It was a fun way to get connected with the outside world.
Asked if Ms.Fenby should write another grant to bring improbable Players back next year and support an artist in residence for "Peers Teaching Peers", 87% of the students said YES!
After the peer leaders presented their scenes, they answered questions from the audience.
improbable players on the road
Mom, do you know what you did last night?
OCTOBER Both troupes - Boston and New York - have been in rehearsal with new and returning actors for performances and workshops for the 2012-2013 season. All shows are up and on the road - with all the actors learning and playing multiple roles in the plays.
Challenge for a new actor: Tell your own story of recovery in one-minute.
Can you just put down your paper and listen?
american alliance for theatre & education
AUGUST Director Lynn Bratley traveled to Lexington, Kentucky to present Improbable Players' prevention workshop at the AATE National Conference .
Participants voted to act out "I really hate it when someone can't afford to get what they need because all their money has gone to buy drugs."
Each of the scenes were authentic and powerful, and provoked lively discussions. In one scene a sister is horrified to learn that her brother has blown through his entire inheiritance and now wants money from her to pay his rent.
One participant said, "I realized - after being in a scene and watching the others - how much of the addict's energy is taken up lying and covering up their addiction."
Where did all the money go? Tell me!
Lynn with workshop participants
america honors recovery
Maryanne Frangules accepts the award for MOAR from William Cope Moyers
JUNE: Director Lynn Bratley traveled to Washington, D.C. for Faces & Voices of Recoveryand Hazelden’s Center for Public Advocacy's award ceremony. Improbable Players was one of the event's sponsors in which MOAR, a Players' collaborator, received the Joel Hernandez Award for excellence in community outreach.
With Pat Taylor, Executive Director of Faces and Voices of Recovery
players at harvard addictions conference
MARCH Improbable Players wrapped up the two-day Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education's Annual Conference, Treating the Addictions with their moving performance about a family and how each of them copes with the addiction that's breaking their family apart. www.cambridgecme.org.
A WORK IN PROGRESS New scenes are being created to inform young people about opioid and prescription drug abuse prevention. Scenes take shape through improvisation from the real stories of workshop participants. This new play is being funded by through private donations.
