Kaiser Permanente Helps Teens Overcome Adolescence Angst with Its Live Theatrical Production - Nightmare on Puberty Street

Press contact:
Jennifer Oliver
Kaiser Permanente / Educational Theatre Programs
(510) 987-3860
Jennifer.B.Oliver@kp.org

Theatre Experience Uses Drama, Humor and Straight Talk to Encourage Middle School Students to Make Healthier Choices and Smarter Decisions about their Well-being

"Am I normal?" The answer to this difficult question continues to elude young people facing the angst of adolescence. Now, through the use of live theatre and role-playing exercises, Kaiser Permanente's Educational Theatre Programs is helping students cope with the changes and challenges of puberty.

Nightmare on Puberty Street, a traveling production created by Kaiser Permanente to help middle school students cope with the issues of puberty, uses dramatic scenes, humor and original music to show teens that they are not alone when dealing with the challenges of adolescence.

The performance follows four young people on their journey through adolescence. As the characters on stage wrestle with the changes affecting their minds and bodies, they confront a variety of important teen issues. Through the use of dramatic vignettes, Nightmare on Puberty Street explores a variety of serious teen issues including self-esteem, peer pressure, fitting in, drug and alcohol abuse, sexuality, conflict and bullying, depression and suicide.

Because the program's ethnically-diverse cast reflects the diversity, language and teen culture of middle school audiences, the students can relate to the performers and develop a relationship with the characters on stage. This allows the cast to deliver valuable health information in an entertaining and enlightening manner without sounding like a traditional health lecture. As one middle school student wrote it in a thank you letter, the characters "have almost exactly my same problems."

"Live theatre is a wonderful medium for reaching young adults because it captures their attention and makes the health issues real to the students," said Regina Dwerlkotte, Ph.D., Director of Kaiser Permanente's Educational Theatre Programs in Northern California.

"Nightmare on Puberty Street not only helps students deal with the challenges of adolescence but facilitates an ongoing dialogue between the students and their teachers and parents."

To ensure that this program addresses the needs of today's middle school students students, Kaiser Permanente's Educational Theatre Programs works with physicians, health educators, teachers, parents and students to develop the content for the show. Once the curriculum is created, Educational Theatre Programs and its professional theatre staff transform the health messages into an interactive hour of education and entertainment.

A community benefit of Kaiser Permanente, Nightmare on Puberty Street is offered free of charge to qualifying schools and organizations. In addition to the performance, Kaiser Permanente's Educational Theatre Programs provides teachers, students and parents with educational guides designed to reinforce the messages of the production.

"As a non-profit organization and member of the community, Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to developing health education programs that will improve the lives of California's children and adults," says Dr. Dwerlkotte. "Educational Theatre Programs is a big part of that effort. It shows young people how they can make positive choices and avoid the kinds of negative influences and destructive behaviors that could lead to health problems down the line."

Nightmare on Puberty Street is one of four productions produced by Kaiser Permanente's Educational Theatre Programs. It joins Zip's Great Day, a musical comedy for elementary school children about making healthy choices, The Best Me, a musical presentation about healthy eating and active living for upper elementary school students, P.E.A.C.E. Signs, a conflict resolution and anti-violence program for upper-elementary school students, and Secrets, a drama about HIV/AIDS for high school students and the community.

In 2006, more than 209,000 students saw at least one of the five Educational Theatre Programs productions. Traveling throughout Northern California, the program performed more than 690 times at school and community organizations from Sacramento to Fresno. In addition, through parent night performances and special events, more than 42,000 adults participated in the programs.

Media Note: Production photos are available upon request (digital and hard copy). Members of the media are invited to attend a production by contacting Jennifer Oliver (510) 987-3860.