On December 8th, our school had the opportunity to have a group of special guests perform in our own auditorium! This group, known as the Improbable Players, put on a three-actor show that taught the audience all about the horrors of substance abuse in an influential way.

Not only did the group have experience as actors, but they all have suffered personally from substance abuse. They told of their own stories and acted out those of others’. With each scene, students learned more about the drastic effect that drugs and alcohol can have on one’s life. The Improbable Players gave firsthand descriptions on how substance abuse affected their lives. They shared how they felt emotionally and physically during their addictions, which made the show credible. The actors told each story in a way which many students could relate. They talked about how addiction can start out of what may seem to be “not a big deal” to many. They described how ordinary people can develop an issue with substance abuse which many students did not understand prior to the show. Their stance upon educating the students was successful due to the fact that it caught the attention of and emotionally gripped each student. They also instructed students on how to get help and when to recognize that they have a problem.

Most students reacted in a positive way after the show. Many described the emotions they felt throughout and how their perspective on substance abuse has changed. Following the show, the actors left it up to the audience to ask questions. Even the students watching the livestream in their homerooms had an opportunity to ask questions through Twitter. It was clear that students were involved in the presentation due to the sincerity of the questions that they asked. Some questions were personal while others were informative. However, each question showed an interest in the topic at hand and that students were being reached by the performance.

Overall, the show was an amazing opportunity for both students and teachers. The actors were as one of a kind as they could put on a credible show. Their show was based on actual events, some of which they had lived through. Students were intrigued and informed while being entertained.