scroll down for these news items * Players presenting at Harvard Addictions Conference * New play in development * Workshop at New England Theater Conference (NETC) * Theater workshops at Boston Area Health Education Center (BAHEC) * Players at American Alliance of Theater & Education (AATE) * Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse hosts Players * Players at NYU Forum on Theater for Public Health
* Company awarded national technical assistance grant * Workshops for the National Recovery Schools Conference
Register now to attend the Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education's Annual Conference, Treating the Addictions, March 9-10, 2012. Improbable Players will be presenting a performance and discussion about using applied theater to teach about substance abuse prevention.
"I didn't realize how many hearts I broke until I got clean..."
Improbable Players will be creating a new performance to inform young people about opioid and prescription drug abuse prevention. It will be developed through improvisation from real stories from workshop participants. These applied theater workshops will happen from January through March, 2012. This new play is being funded by through private donations.
Improbable Players were invited to teach a workshop at NETC - the New England Theater Conference's 60th Annual Convention, November 18th in Natick,MA, Using Applied Theater in Addictions Prevention.
Workshop participants created poignant characters in scenes about how addiction affects every member of the family and what each member of the family could do to get help.
boston area health education center
Actors Kari and Adam in rehearsal.
July/August 2011
Improbable Players Kari and Adam facilitated a six week theater workshop for high school students interested in exploring health careers through Boston Area Public Health Commission's BAHEC. Students learned how applied theater can be used to raise awareness about public health issues.
July 2011 Lynn traveled to Chicago to participate in the AATE National Conference and lead a workshop with fellow theater artists on how the Players create scenes and stories about substance abuse prevention. The topic they chose: "I hate it when young people believe what their addicted parents tell them". The scenes they improvised were powerful.
Improbable Players is an active member of the American Alliance of Theater & Education as a professional company specializing in applied theater.
Lynn with workshop session actors.
community coalition brings in the players
April 2011 "The stage of the Performing Arts Center was filled yesterday with powerful voices as Improbable Players performed two plays for students on the topic of substance abuse...." Read the rest of the story.
nyu forum on theater for public health
April 2011 Director Lynn Bratley, presented an interactive theater workshop at the NYU SteinhardtForum on Theater for Public Health:"Using educational drama in addictions prevention"
measuring the success of arts-based prevention
Improbable Players was awarded a federal Service to Science technical assistance grant in 2010, to work with a research team to determine the best way to document the effectiveness of the plays and workshops. The Players uses qualitative research through questionnaires and feedback forms from students and teachers after the performances.
"I liked hearing about your lives and how you changed. The play showed me I don't need drugs or alcohol in my life."
recovery schools conference summer 2010
A broken heart was my excuse for drinking in the past
"I really hate it when ... drugs and alcohol snake into people's lives and take over completely --- and that the media sends mixed messages glorifying use and abuse, but demeaning people with addiction problems!"
These themes were chosen by participants at the National Recovery Schools Conference on July 22nd in a drama workshop facilitated by Lynn Bratley.
In one scene a young person mindlessly watches tv news about a famous addict and then goes out to a club to be like the troubled star. She has no idea of the possible consequences, but what we see in the audience, is another participant/actor as the drug, lurking behind her, waiting to attack.
The theme inspired other poignant scenes and a lively discussion of how to reach out to youth so influenced by tv and internet.
