Dolls

Kids are becoming involved with sex at younger and younger ages. This play opens with a reticent teacher trying to address a group of students about the "S" word, but it turns out the students know more than she does. Similar to Jerome McDonough's other young adult awareness plays, this one grabs the audience's attention with comedy before it gets serious about the enormous problems involved in teenage sexuality and pregnancy. This is a hard-hitting, face-the-facts play designed for high school and college actors to perform for audiences 12 or 13 years old and up. The play is frank and realistic, yet there is no profanity and no street language, but Dolls does not back off on its message. It does not turn off the very kids who ought to listen. It has been performed by high schools, youth organizations, church groups, colleges, community theatres and junior high schools throughout the U.S., Canada and foreign countries. The style of the play is that of its predecessors—Juvie and Addict—a face-to-face telling of young people's stories to young people by young people. The stories are entirely fictional but are based on the facts of the subject matter. With Juvie and Addict, we encouraged the availability of on-site support people at each performance of the show. This support may be even more important with Dolls. A combination of parents, health care professionals, church leaders, educators, a cross-section of concerned, open-minded adults—is needed. Kids' questions should be answered.