Pubdate: Thu, 25 Oct 2012
Source: Prince George Citizen (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Prince George Citizen
Contact:  http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/350
Author: Mark Neilson

POWER OF THEATRE USED TO COMBAT GANGS

An anti-gang initiative was kicked off Wednesday with a performance
from a local theatre company that has made a name for itself helping
youth learn the skills to avoid a gang's clutches.

Members of Street Spirits took about 200 elementary school students
through a scenario in which a girl is coaxed and bullied into selling
drugs and then into recruiting others to do the dealing for her.

There is also a fair amount of audience participation.

"What we do is called 'form theatre,'" said Gwen Hall, one of the
actors who took to the stage at the Civic Centre. "We do our play and
then we ask the audience members to come up and fix it, change it,
make it right."

Although toned down slightly for the younger audiences, the
performances touch on serious issues - gang violence, alcohol and drug
abuse, child abuse, the sex trade.

"We build these short, one-act plays where everything is broken," said
Kaiser Glaab, also an actor with the troupe.

One lesson they convey is that recruitment into a gang can come from
unexpected sources and can occur in "a blink of an eye."

"You have fight with your parents, somebody know this and they're like
'oh, hey well, you can come hang out with us but we need some help
with a couple of things' and you just get roped in so fast," said Hall.

Both Hall and Glaab have been approached by gang recruiters.
Fortunately, both knew the signs and told them to get lost.

"Divide and conquer," Hall said when asked what tactics are used.
"They want you to be alienated from your friends and your family so
that they're the only ones you have so that when there's a problem you
come to them and they dictate your life."

Initial contact often involves offers of supposedly free alcohol and
drugs but those offers soon become debts that the target is bullied
into working off through various means.

"These people are good at what they do," Glaab said. "They have been
for years, that's how it works."

Not only does Street Spirits spread the message of how to stay away
from the gang life but also provides something of a refuge for young
people who feel a little adrift and on their own.

"It's really cool because you have somewhere to go where it's a safe
space and you can talk about your problems, you can talk about
whatever you want," Hall said. "Nobody's going to judge you at Street
Spirits, nobody's going to laugh at you. They'll laugh with you for
sure, but not at you."

Andrew Burton, who founded the troupe in 1999, said Street Spirits
always welcomes new members and noted some have had the opportunity to
travel. Earlier this month, four of them were in New York City for the
Performing the World International Conference.

"We don't require any acting skills to begin," Burton said. "Our
rehearsals are acting classes and it's all free."

Rehearsals are held every Thursday at 6 p.m. at YAP Friends, 1148-7th
Ave., across from city hall. To become a member, you must attend at
least four rehearsals. For more information, go to
www.streetspirits.com .
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MAP posted-by: Matt