Children's Theater Teen Scene: Innovative Therapy

This weekend I watched "hard 2 spel dad" and "don't u luv me? " at Dallas Children's Theater (DCT) Teen Scene Festivalhttps: //www.dct.org/production/FestivalInfo.php. These plays address tough issues of learning differences and dating violence with a dynamic, contemporary approach that appeals to teens. As I listened to the interchange between teens and the counselors in the discussion session after the show, the open communication showed a new form of partnership. Counselors and teens dissected the emotional issues presented as a team, using the actors as their clients. No one felt pegged as the one as fault or in need of a cure.

Ian Kinsler, Ranger's second baseman, kicked off the festival with a discussion of his ADD prior to "hard 2 spel dad," the play about learning differences. Interviewed by Ranger's broadcaster Eric Nadel, Ian fielded questions confidently, interspersing humor with personal stories. Boys in Ranger's caps hung on the two-time All-Star's words, encouraged by Ian's underdog story to baseball greatness. "I was always the one overlooked," he said, "but believed I was the best player on the field." He admitted feeling awkward when first diagnosed with ADD, but eventually realized the medication helped him focus in school. In baseball, focus was never a problem. ADD proved a problem usually with routine tasks that didn't excite him.

The play followed Kinsler's inspirational talk with an equally strong message. Actors Skyy Moore and Kimberly Kotwitz, both dyslexic, played dyslexic characters with deft precision. I glanced at the baseball fans in the audience mid-show, expecting to see signs of boredom. They were riveted. The audience riddled the counselor with questions after the show, all offering suggestions on how the parents, counselors, teachers and teens in the show might better deal with the situation. Some audience members talked about their own learning differences, openly sharing tactics that helped them gain confidence. These teens, whether they realized it or not, were participating in a new and innovative form of group therapy. By a quick trick of good theater, they learned and healed while being entertained.

This recent article in the Dallas Morning News gives a good overview of the festival: http://www.dallasnews.com/health/family-health/20110204-plays-give-teens-tools-to-face-bullying-dyslexia-eating-disorders.ece

If you live near Dallas or can fly into Dallas for the weekends of February 11 or 18, you can catch the two plays mentioned, plus one that addresses eating disorders (EAT(It's Not About Food)) and another about teen bullying (The Secret Life of Girls). Next weekend the theater is hosting the Baker Idea Institute, featuring experts from both the educational and medical fields who will host discussions and workshops between plays. The weekend of February 18 the Baker Idea Institute will have artistic leaders presenting workshops. For tickets you can access the website: https://www.dct.org/production/FestivalInfo.php or call the box office: 214-740-0051. The shows are well worth the trip.