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NOVEMBER 2005

An Innovative Performance Teaches Adolescent Drug Addicts to “Act Out” on Stage
by Gillian Granoff

Recently, the DayTop Treatment facility hosted an intimate group of parents, probations officers, and teachers to witness a moving portrayal of the cycle of addiction recovery and relapse, and strategies to recognize, address, and respond to the signs and symptoms of addiction.

The presentation opened with a moving depiction of the life of an addict and his parent. The father emotionally recounted with rawness and honesty his son’s progression and gradual deterioration from a good student and loving child, to a failing student, whose misbehavior escalated into stealing, lying and manipulating his parents. His addiction culminated in his stealing his brother’s prescription medication, an incident that threatened his brother’s life and prompted his parents to have him incarcerated. Faced with imprisonment, he was admitted to the DayTop Center. His emotional tale was an earnest warning to parents in the audience to be attentive to and to help them to identify the signs of addiction.

Moments later, a nice looking young boy dressed neatly in a blue collar button down shirt, suit, and tie timidly approach the podium. He carried a briefcase and seemed eerily mature for his age. With grace and honesty, he retold, in his own words, the story of his struggle with addiction. His voice full of remorse echoed with the earnest sounds of young man trying to be accountable for his mistakes. In the audience was a mix of probation officer, teachers, recovering addicts and parents.

In addition to helping addicts to confront their behaviors, the DayTop treatment program outlines the important role parents should play in prevention and treatment. DayTop counselors emphasized the proactive role parents must play in checking up on and closely monitoring the activities of their children. The counselors highlight the importance of communication, and implementing structure and urge parents to draw a clear line for their children between a right and a privilege. Speakers encourage parents to pay more attention to subtle warning signs, such as changes in behavior, friendships, hobbies and interests of their children. They encourage parents not to be afraid to ask their children tough and embarrassing questions.

Founded in 1963 the DayTop Center, now present in 26 centers nation-wide, has been a prototype for similar programs throughout the world. The program boasts a high success rate and a pledge to return children to the community who are not only drug free but mature, responsible and productive citizens.

The program’s approach is one of behavior modification. The goal is to cultivate a  “healing family” to aid clients in their recovery. Under strict supervision, clients are encouraged to take responsibility and face their feelings in a tightly controlled but safe environment. A major component of the program is its rigorous demand for openness and honesty of its clients, in a supportive environment focused on fostering the development of patients’ self respect and respect for one another.

Integral to the therapy is a performance piece, entitled the “Concept,” by current recovering addicts. The performance, conceived and directed by Lawrence Scharow is based on the real life experiences of recovering addicts in DayTop Village. It is an interactive piece used as a therapeutic tool to aid in the resident’s recovery and to raise community awareness to give a raw and honest portrait of the reality of drug addiction. The play conceived in 1963 has played on Broadway and in countries around the world.

The performers, actual clients in the treatment center, reenact their lives before and after their recovery to depict the behaviors and pressures that led to their addictions. The play followed with an interactive discussion among audience and cast members.

The moving honesty of the performers dissolved boundaries between the attendants and the addicts. During the question and answer period, a female probation officer asked a young addict who’d been arrested several times, whether the fear of incarceration had helped to deter his drug use. “Yes,” he answered with an ironic sense of appreciation.

As the sobering reality of the day settled in, participants and clients gradually shuffled out of the office at 50 West 42nd Street. Despite shedding some tears, the resonance of the lessons of the day inspired both DayTop treatment performers and audience; the struggles of the clients left a lasting impression.

Schools interested in bringing a performance of “The Concept” can contact the public affairs office of DayTop at ssatline@daytop.org#

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