Awareness Theatre
Awareness Theatre (AT) is a youth prevention education program which uses theatre with student volunteers as a strategy for understanding the important issues facing today’s youth. Using a variety of dramatic presentation styles, the group seeks not only to educate its audience, but to help them change their lives and their community.
Awareness Theatre was founded in 1985 as a way to improve prevention services to young people in the Dunkirk area. As the program succeeded, a second troupe was formed in the Jamestown area in 1987.
Using a wide variety of theatre forms, the program has performed widely throughout Western New York The troupe was invited to perform at the National Council of Alcohol and Drug Addiction’s (NCADD) national conference in 2007 and the National Conference on Prevention and the Arts in 2001, 2002, and 2003. AT has been recognized by the America’s Promise organization, and was featured in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) publication “Coming Up Taller.”
Since its inception, over 450 area young people have participated as volunteers with the program, with representation from every school and college in the county. AT has performed over 4000 times for more than 136,000 audience members.
In order to reach as many people as possible, two troupes are operated. One is centered in the Dunkirk area and meets at the Dunkirk Boys and Girls Club. The second troupe is centered in the Jamestown area and meets at the Jamestown Boys and Girls Club.
For more information on Awareness Theatre, contact John Blackman at (716) 664-3608 or email john@casacweb.org.
Quotes From Our Volunteers
“To me Awareness Theatre has always been a great place to not only do interesting theatre and learn about yourself, but it has been a great place to meet new people.”
—Liz
“Seeing how we’ve been able to affect the people we perform for has made my
experience with the group a real eye-opener. It has helped me to see that as an individual I can have a real impact on the world.”
—Amanda
“Being in Awareness Theatre has helped me expand my understanding of the world as well as the size of my dating pool. It will also help me as I take steps to become the future President of the United States.”
—Nick
“AT has helped me expand my resume for college and given me a broader vision of the world. It will help also me as I move into the future to become the next President of the United States.”
—Aubrey