Meet the Cast
Shana was originally scared to get on stage, so Dr. Shrand said she could just sell tickets. She overcame her fears and has been in all three of Drug Story Theater shows!
Shana
How Old Were You When You Started Using?
“I was 13 or 14 when I started using”
What did you start with?
“I started with weed”
What is the hardest part about staying sober?
“One of the hardest parts about staying sober is pushing myself to do what I need to stay sober when I don't want to do anything of the sort. Example : it’s a lot easier/more fun to sit at home and watch TV than to do my step work or go to a meeting.”
How do you work on your sobriety?
“I work on my sobriety in many ways, some of which are setting goals that I want and can only achieve by being sober, stepwork to understand and better myself, and going to meetings to stay connected with other sober people.”
What are three things that make you happy?
“Nature, ice cream, and Doug”.
Ladies and Gentlemen.... The Amazing Heather!
Heather
How Old Were You When You Started Using?
“I was 11 when I started using ”
What did you start with?
“I started with spice”
What is the hardest part about staying sober?
“The hardest part about staying sober is staying sober itself, because it's an everyday battle."
How do you work on your sobriety?
“I work on my sobriety with DST, having a job at a dog shop, and trying to stay busy to keep my mind off of drugs.”
What are three things that make you happy?
“My dogs, watching movies, and eating.”
Emily - a girl who knows her science!
Emily
How Old Were You When You Started Using?
“I was 12 when I started using ”
What did you start with?
“I started with alcohol”
What is the hardest part about staying sober?
“The hardest part about staying sober is not using when I’m bored. I find it really hard to stay sober when I have nothing to do. I try to keep myself busy any way I can to take my mind off it."
How do you work on your sobriety?
“I work on my sobriety by doing things that make me feel happy and accomplished. Having people look up to you as a role model is a much better feeling than being high/drunk.”
What are three things that make you happy?
“My family, friends, and dogs.”
Melvin
How Old Were You When You Started Using?
“I was 14 when I started using ”
What did you start with?
“I started with weed”
What is the hardest part about staying sober?
“The hardest part about staying sober is not using when going through hard times”
How do you work on your sobriety?
“I work on my sobriety by doing things that were recommended to me like distracting myself from thinking about it, finding new hobbies, avoiding the people I used with, motivating young people like myself when I see they are risking their lives by using, and working on my step work”
What are three things that make you happy?
“My family, my relationship with my higher power, and my girlfriend”
Jade
How Old Were You When You Started Using?
“I was 13 when I started using ”
What did you start with?
“I started with weed”
What is the hardest part about staying sober?
“The hardest part about staying sober is finding the moments that make me happy and calm. ”
How do you work on your sobriety?
“I make a conscious effort to take deep breaths and concentrate on good memories to remember when times are tough”
What are three things that make you happy?
“Painting, taking walks around town and taking healthy risks”
Jared at HUBWeek
Jared
How Old Were You When You Started Using?
“I was 13 when I started using ”
What did you start with?
“I started with weed”
Dylan
Dylan
How Old Were You When You Started Using?
“I haven’t used. I grew up in a family that was using. My father was arrested for selling drugs. Seeing the effects of my parents using made me want to never try drugs and alcohol. ”
What can you share with other kids about your experience?
“There’s a lot of kids like me who grow up in families who struggle with drugs and alcohol. It’s really hard”
Nicole Conlon-McCombe
Nicole
Nicole Conlon-McCombe, Executive Director–Nicole serves as Executive Director and playwright for Drug Story Theater. She has written/co-written all of their plays. Nicole has dedicated her career to helping young people find their voices, whether through Drug Story Theater or in the classroom where she was a professor of speech and theater for over a decade. She holds a BA in Communication with a concentration in Theater Arts and an MFA in Theater:Performance & Society. As a Drug Story Theater teaching artist she was recognized as an Outstanding Community Partner by Independence Academy, a Recovery High School. Nicole believes in the power of theater to promote civic dialogue, raise social awareness, and potentially create social change.
Caleb our Writing Intern
Caleb
Caleb is Drug Story Theater's Intern Scriptwriter. He is a recent graduate of Emerson College and has been assisting Director Nicole Conlon-McCombe with writing new scenes using real life stories from Drug Story Theater kids. He has acted in a number of productions and has written his own play.