An engaging performance by the nonprofit Drug Story Theater was staged at Joseph Case High School on Tuesday, March 18, with the support of the Swansea Police Department and Swansea Public Schools. (Photo Courtesy Swansea Police Department)
SWANSEA — Chief Mark Foley and Superintendent Scott Holcomb are pleased to share that the Swansea Police Department and Swansea Public Schools co-hosted a presentation of Drug Story Theater at Joseph Case High School on Tuesday, March 18. The presentation provided a powerful, thought-provoking, peer-to-peer intervention depicting the struggle that comes with the early stages of recovery from addiction.
This performance of Drug Story Theater highlighted the dangers of substance use and the importance of making informed, positive choices. The traveling theater group is composed of people recovering from addiction who are in their late teens and early 20s, putting on a 40-minute play and then engaging the audience, encouraging open dialogue and providing students with valuable insights to help them navigate the challenges they may face in the future.
The program teaches adolescents about situational awareness and the dangers of drug use, especially nowadays when manufactured drugs are often laced with more lethal components, such as the deadly opioid fentanyl. Incorporating slides shown in between scenes of the play, the program also focused on the brain science behind addiction, emphasizing that one in four people under the age of 18 who experiment with drugs become addicted.
One of the main messages behind Drug Story Theater is that “the treatment of one becomes the prevention of many.”
Drug Story Theater is renowned for its scientific, evidence-based approach, with surveys showing that after seeing the 40-minute play, the audience largely agrees that marijuana is addictive and that drugs and alcohol have a negative impact on relationships and the ability to succeed in school.
The nonprofit Drug Story Theater initiative was established in 2014 by psychiatrist Dr. Joseph Shrand. It was rolled out across the state in 2018 in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Since then, Drug Story Theater has performed for over 40,000 audience members at middle schools, high schools, and colleges throughout the state.
“This program was very engaging and insightful for our students, who heard directly from people close to their age who have experienced the hardship that comes with addiction to drugs or alcohol,” said Joseph Case High School Principal Christopher Costa. “This is an event that our students are going to remember forever, serving as a reminder about the price people pay by falling down that path of drug and alcohol addiction.”
The Swansea Police Outreach Team, which is made up of officers with specialized training, also attended the performance at Joseph Case High School. The team focuses on the prevention, education, treatment, and ongoing recovery of overdose victims.
Swansea Police Detective Sgt. Jonathan Boyd was integral in setting up this event collaboratively with the school department.
“We were glad to help bring this presentation to Swansea, to show the dangers that result from drug and alcohol addiction, and the tremendous challenge that this poses for young people in recovery,” said Detective Sgt. Boyd. “Thank you to Drug Story Theater and everyone who had a part in making this event possible.”
The presentation was brought to Swansea in partnership with the office of Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III and Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein.
“We are grateful for the partnership with Drug Story Theater, the District Attorney’s Office, the Swansea Police Department, and Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein,” said Superintendent Holcomb. “We remain committed to providing our students with the resources and education necessary to make healthy decisions.”
The nonprofit Drug Story Theater staged a performance at Joseph Case High School on Tuesday, March 18. (Photo Courtesy Swansea Police Department)
The event was attended by the Swansea Police Outreach Team. (Photo Courtesy Swansea Police Department)
