Act II Playhouse and Upper Dublin High School's Theatre Program Presents THE UPPER DUBLIN BULLYING PROJECT, 4/12

Act II Playhouse in Ambler and Upper Dublin High School's Theatre Program presents The Upper Dublin Bullying Project, a docudrama exploration of bullying in our local community, on Friday, April 12 at 8 p.m.

Text from this original theatre piece comes from interviews with Upper Dublin High School students, teachers, parents and administrators. Students in Debbie Thompson's Theatre 1 Class conducted the interviews, and Act II Education Director Bill D'Agostino compiled the script.

The students will perform the final play, which is directed by student teacher Caroline Blasi, working alongside Thompson.

The Upper Dublin Bullying Project will be performed at Act II Playhouse in Ambler on Friday, April 12 at 8 p.m. The performance is open to the public. Tickets are $5. The students are also performing the play in school for fellow students on Thursday, April 11.

Tickets to The Upper Dublin Bullying Project can be purchased online at www.act2.org, by calling 215-654-0200 or by visiting Act II Playhouse box office at 56 E. Butler Ave. in Ambler, during regular box office hours (2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday).

Inspiration for the play came from Tectonic Theater Project's The Laramie Project, which the students read and studied. D'Agostino, a former journalist, also taught the students interviewing and reporting skills.

Among the people the students interviewed were a teacher who recalled a student committing suicide, a fellow student describing the experience of being bullied by a group of other girls, and a guidance councilor offering advice.

The students in the class also wrote journals that were used to make the script. In one journal entry, one student described her hopes for the play: "I wonder if this project will open up anybody's mind. Will they look at this, and be able to identify who they are in the story? Will they see themselves? And if they do, will it have any profound effect on them? For a victim in the audience, I can only hope to provide them with the comfort that they are not alone, that there is someone out there who is willing to understand, or can relate. For others, I hope this project will look them in the eye and tell them what common decency to others really is."