Play shows how to deal with drug and alcohol abuse

Bow Editor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:38:00 GMT

When the curtains close at the Capitol Center for the Arts following the mid-February performance of “Wrecked,” the show is far from over.

The Canadian-produced show coming to Concord on Tuesday, Feb. 12, and Wednesday, Feb. 13, is far more than an entertainment experience, as it aims to teach teenagers and adults how to deal with drug and alcohol abuse.

“We work from an art-first basis, and try to create artful and meaningful work. In this case, we found a piece that was really relevant to teens,” said Tim Jennings, the play’s managing director. “We’re not telling them anything new, but giving them a chance to reflect on the difficulties drugs and alcohol can create.”

Jennings works with the Canadian group Roseneath Theatre, a nonprofit organization, which is Ontario’s largest professional touring theater, he said.

After Ric Waldman of the Capitol Center for the Arts saw a reading of the play at a conference, he knew it would be perfect for New Hampshire.

“We were so moved by the impact of the play that we felt it would be a great value to our community if we could present it,” he said. “We knew right away it would be a challenge to sell tickets. We don’t do a lot of drama presentations because they don’t always sell too well.”

To fill seats for the play, the Capitol Center became involved with other groups around the state, receiving a $10,000 grant from New Futures, the Endowment for Health and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.

Thanks to the grant, Waldman didn’t have to worry about selling tickets. The money purchased 600 tickets, which could be given away to schools and families in the area.

Combined with regular ticket sales, the school-time presentation of the play is sold out with a waiting list of about 300, and Waldman expects a large crowd at the second showing as well.

Other organizations have become involved in the play as well, as groups like the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Hampshire will be on hand before the event to give out information.

State legislators will also be attending a reception before the play to discuss different aspects of drugs and alcohol with the sponsors.

“This is a wonderful offering from the Capitol Center in spreading awareness about drug and alcohol issues while reaching a large audience of youth, adults, educators and professionals,” said Nancy Jackson-Reno of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Hampshire. “It offers the chance to open a dialogue between students, their peers, parents and educators.”

The dialogue will continue after the play, as the actors will come out on stage and field questions from the audience.

“The thing it does best is showing about the whole family. What it doesn’t do is talk down to teenagers,” said Waldman. “It’s realistic and the portrayal of things that go down are vivid. We expect teenagers to be moved.”

Jennings said he takes pride in being able to perform a play that benefits the community.

“The ability to take art and perform it in a way that affects peoples’ lives is a 1,000-year-old practice, but it’s very important to create that work,” he said. “Our work is to create the art and put it out there to be seen. Those groups are how it can be put out in the community and really taken to the next level.”

Fledging Concord team skates to fast start

Bow Editor — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:56:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

If the cliche, “Practice makes perfect,” retains even a bit of truth, foes of Concord High’s girls ice hockey beware.

When CHS took the ice on Tuesday, Jan. 8, it marked the Crimson Tide’s first practice session in roughly one month, said coach Tom Ackerson, who acknowledged persistent snows and consistent scheduling conflicts as roadblocks to the usual Tuesday and Thursday practices at St. Paul’s School.

Yet the Concord girls are 3-1- 0 heading into a matchup with another strong Division I crew – St. Thomas Aquinas of Dover – on Saturday, Jan. 12, at Everett Arena in Concord.

“Their effort,” said Ackerson, “has been awesome, but they don’t have the experience yet.”

Still, Concord produced a 3-1 win over a solid Lebanon team in New Hampshire’s first varsity girls ice hockey match, then followed that Dec. 8 victory with an 8-0 shutout of host Exeter three days later.

The team’s most recent contest, a 5-0 triumph against visiting Bishop Guertin on Jan. 2, showcased the Crimson Tide’s exceptional goaltending and team depth.

Julia Coffin, a senior, turned aside each of the 13 shots she faced in net, and Ackerson said Concord is blessed with a feeder program that should ensure a continued supply of stingy backstops. Meanwhile, five different players scored, and four others earned assists.

Senior Grace Hirshon tallied first, taking a pass from sophomore Melissa Lehtinen 1 minute, 14 seconds into the contest. Senior Erica Simpson extended the lead 5:45 into the second period, depositing a short-handed goal on an assist from sophomore Paige Hansen. Nineteen seconds later, Lehtinen’s short-handed score, assisted by classmate Meridith Foote and junior Hilary Kane, made it 3-0.

Two more tallies in the third – one from sophomore Jackolyn Haydon, off a feed from freshman Brittany Premo, and another from sophomore Ashley Liotti, assisted by Foote – capped the scoring. That’s at least one point from every class – the vast majority from underclassmen.

“I think we can compete (this year),” said Ackerson, who added Hanover, an 8-1 winner over Concord on Dec. 18, has played against and beaten Vermont challengers for years and is clearly the class of New Hampshire’s Division I girls hockey scene. “We want to do well this year, but we’re also looking to set ourselves up for the future.”

Ackerson pointed to those to-date elusive practices as an opportunity to improve in certain areas, including proper positional hockey, consistency and conditioning; though Concord outshot BG in the final period, 11-1, Ackerson said his team suffered too many defensive breakdowns.

“Right now they’re mostly good athletes,” said Ackerson, who expects to witness the program’s transformation from largely a group of fine athletes playing hockey to a group of hockey players who happen to be good athletes.

“Going (to) varsity (status) means so much. It keeps the (middle- school) girls motivated to represent their high school.”

Concord News : Concord High

Play shows how to deal with drug and alcohol abuse

Fledging Concord team skates to fast start