Youth in Chelyabinsk Use Theater to Tackle Difficult Issues

Katya is an unemployed 18-year-old who steals money from her stepmom and doesn’t remember the last time she talked to either of her biological parents. Vika’s mom calls her every 10 minutes to make sure she is staying out of trouble, and Sergei is a drug user debating between joining the army and finishing his education. Although these characters are fictitious, the problems they face are a reality for many Russian youth. The creative use of improvisational theatre is helping young people in Chelyabinsk deal effectively with these and other important issues.

As part of the USAID-funded Youth Development Competencies Program (YDCP), implemented by IREX, young people in Chelyabinsk stage improv shows covering issues that their peers face. The shows themselves are not scripted, but the young actors create their characters, and decide in advance the major issues to be discussed and the manner in which their characters will interact. After the end of the 25 minute performance, members of the audience have the chance to offer advice and pose questions to the characters. The actors remain in character during the question-and-answer session, and their audience is often amazed when they learn that they have been interacting with actor-volunteers at the end of the session.

Issues such as drug and alcohol abuse, HIV/AIDS, and family difficulties are rarely openly discussed in Russia, especially at academic institutions, but many teens and young adults face these problems every day. By using improvisational theater, young people are able to engage their peers in serious conversation and make these topics less taboo. The actors, who are all between the ages of 18 and 26, think up the scenarios themselves because they have the best understanding of what their peers face. Galya, one of the young actors, noted, “We chose themes that are relevant for us and our peers and then decide which ones to focus on.”

The conversations about the issues presented do not end with the question-and-answer sessions. In many cases, the performance breaks down barriers and prompts the young people to have open, frank discussions. Often after the performance and discussion, members of the audience approach the actors to continue the dialog, and learn where they can get more information.

The troupe performs at colleges, institutes and universities in Chelyabinsk, and every show inspires a different reaction from the audience. Vera Sokolova, a psychologist who works with the troupe, noted that you can never predict the direction that the conversation will take. Every discussion has a different focus because the students in the audience determine what issues to focus on.

Thus far the group has not needed to advertise itself because they keep receiving invitations from different institutions. The educational institutions also benefit from the performances. Schools often do not realize the importance and value of addressing serious life issues, but once the staff sees the students’ reactions, they realize that it is necessary and begin to incorporate group discussions into the curriculum.

The actors themselves have also greatly benefited from participating in YDCP. Thanks to the program, they are now more confident and more engaged in their community. In addition to volunteering with the theater, many of the actors have sought out other forms of volunteer work. Through their performances, they have seen that they can make a difference in their own and in others’ lives and are actively giving back to the community.