Chris, Trish behind the mask, and camp leader, Robin
JULY 2009: High school and middle school peer leaders from all over Connecticut converged at the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) 19th annual Youth Leadership Power Camp at Southern Connecticut State University to create projects that will spread awareness and education about drunk driving and underage drinking. Improbable Players closed the conference - "on a high and powerful note", according to Camp Director Lauren Iannucci.
teaching artist institute
JANUARY 2009: Players' Director Lynn Bratley was invited to present techniques Improbable Players use to evaluate student work at the Institute for Teaching Artists, "Cultivating the Field" at Lesley University. The focus of the institutes was lesson planning, curriculum mapping, and evaluation. Sponsors were Massachusetts Cultural Council and VSA Massachusetts, among others.
Improbable Players evaluate students' understanding of prevention through scenes, monologues, and creative writing.
Lynn and the pecha kucha power point
reflecting on national recovery day
SEPTEMBER 2008: Improbable Players' own Chris Everett was chosen by The Recovery Project as the Mass.delegate for the Recovery Rally in New York City.
"I’m psyched that I got sober during Recovery Month," says Chris. "Last year I celebrated 11 years the day before that event. Being an actor with Improbable Players has been a wonderful and major influence in my life as a sober woman--for the past 9 seasons as a Player, I have been able to stand in front of thousands of students from elementary to college level and say, “If I can do it, you can do it--recovery is possible!”
"It was an amazing experience."
asset forfeiture grant
Lynn Bratley with District Attorney Conley
"This is truly an opportunity to do good things with bad money." - DA Conley
MARCH 2008: Clark Avenue Middle School, Chelsea, MA:District Attorney Daniel F. Conley presents Improbable Players' Director, Lynn Bratley with a grant from the Suffolk County Asset Forfeiture Reinvestment Program. Cash and assets seized from drug dealers was awarded to organizations that work to help young people. The Players performed for 8th graders and their teachers at Clark Avenue and held a long Q&A with the students after the show. This grant also sponsored a program for Seacoast Academy in Revere.
chicago prevention efforts reach students
SEPTEMBER 2008: Improbable Players were invited to Chicago to be a part of a community-wide prevention effort. Thanks to the diligent community networking of Peggy Alexander, of the Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the events were successful in promoting awareness about problems and solutions during Recovery Week in the community of Maywood.
"It all worked out really, really well", Peggy reported after two performances and a drama workshop at Proviso East High School. "The seniors were spellbound - they listened to every word. We had students in the audience who are in active recovery, and I know they benefited from hearing the Players’ stories. We had one young man come up and let us know that he needed help, that he was in over his head. That’s what happens when the conversation is out in the open."
Peggy, Chris, Brian, and the Proviso East peer leaders
hope and inspiration festival
Chris, Natali and Owen
APRIL 2007: Improbable Players were proud to be the 1st performance of the 1st HOPE AND INSPIRATION Performing Arts Festival, "Celebrating Courage, Strength, and Personal Triumph in the face of homelesness, addiction, mental illness, incarceration". The festival was sponsored by St. Francis House and Roxbury Community College. Pictured at left: Chris, Natali, and Owen.
NIATx national conference
April 24, 2007: Improbable Players helped to "ground" the NIATx Summit (www.niatx.net) in San Antonio by presenting their play about a family affected by alcohol and other drugs. The Players put a face on recovery for over 400 attendees, who belong to the Network for the Advancement of Addiction Treatment. NIATx works with treatment organzations across the country to improve access to treatment for the millions of Americans seeking help with substance abuse, and help to remove the stigma attached to seeking help.
Chris, Brian, Matt and Natali at NIATx
georgia community opens its arms
MARCH 2007 Two days of packed scheduling in Albany, Georgia made it possible for the Players to bring performances and workshops to Darton College, Jefferson Street Boys & Girls Club, Radium Springs Middle School, the Albany Arts Council, and the Graceway Recovery Residences.
This arts-in-prevention project was funded in part by the Darton Foundation, and it was instrumental in outreach effords that involved many community members. A surprise came when Improbable Player actor Chris asked the middle school students after the show, "How many of you are affected by someone else's drinking or drug use?" When 95% of the students raised their hands, the teachers standing around the room gasped. The actors urged students to talk with someone about their concerns. Teachers lated reported that the post-show discussion went on well into the afternoon.
