Grade 6 students were shown the “Butt Ugly” truth about smoking during a play at Ponoka Elementary School last week.
The play is part of a tobacco prevention program hosted by the Red Deer College (RDC). Young actors from RDC came to the elementary school to show students preventative ways to stay away from smoking or chewing tobacco.
Tour manager Kate Adams says first year acting students not only present the play, they also form into smaller groups with students from the audience after the play to talk about the problem of smoking. Adams says the play is “by teens, for teens.”
“It’s really strong when it’s a youth-for-youth project,” said Adams.
The goal of the play is to educate youths on the types of chemicals in tobacco products such as cigarettes and chewing tobacco, and to show them the addictive nature of nicotine.
An ensemble cast, playing one to five characters, walk students through a future where tobacco products are found only in museums.
The two main characters, Hack and Chewy, go back in time to try and revive people’s addiction of nicotine. They are guided by a man who represents a greedy tobacco company, whose only goal is to make money.
Along the way the two characters are foiled in their attempts by an educated population. Eventually they come to an age where humanity is almost extinct because of its addiction to the products.
The play and actors worked on educating the young audience.
“We focus more on refusal and what to do if you’re offered (tobacco),” explained Adams.
She says they have found some success with the play, which has been in production since 1995. Extended research by producers has found kids are getting important information from the play.
Butt Ugly is about giving youths some life-skills, says Adams, when dealing with offers to take tobacco products. “It’s all about impressions.”