Acting out: teen theater

Middle and high school students going through the tumultuous teenage years have a safe place to share their experiences through a program at James Madison University.

According to the program's website, the program is called Teen Theater: Acting Out. Acting Out is a teen theater group meeting once a week that offers teenagers aged 12-18 a place to discuss and work through issues they are experiencing. The program is open to any interested high school or middle school student.

The free semester-long program utilizes games, theater, improvisation, discussion, and journaling to explore many issues, such as parental conflict, divorce, sexuality, and stereotypes, among others. From those experiences, the students create scenes for a play that is performed at the end of the semester for friends, family, and the community. Last semester, students involved in Acting Out performed, "In Our Own Words" at the Court Square Theater.

Students from JMU participate in the program as well, leading the weekly meetings with the teenagers. The meetings are held Thursday evenings from 6:30-9:00 at Community Mennonite Church.

One of the main goals of the program is that students learn how to improve confrontations with their peers, parents, and other adults.

Teen Theater: Acting Out was begun in 1997 by Marylin O. Wakefield, professor of social work at JMU. "The program was started in response to a need in the community for more organizations to aid in the prevention of teenage problems," according to the website.

Along with teen theater, the Acting Out program also has Acting OutREACH. By going into schools and after-school programs, Acting OutREACH helps students deal with many issues such as peer pressure, bullying and conflict resolution, among others. Through the free one-hour sessions, teens learn how to accept responsibility for their choices and actions.

According to the program's website, both Teen Theater: Acting Out and Acting OutREACH hope to be a positive influence in the community where they can provide a place for teenagers to "explore their dreams, accomplishments, hurts, and disappointments."

For more information about Teen Theater: Acting Out or Acting OutREACH, visit www.socwork.jmu.edu/actingout/ or call (540) 568-6488.