Acting for Real Life : Stop-Gap Seeks Expressive People to Assist With Drama-Therapy Workshops

It’s a peaceful night in Anaheim, and Dollie and Tekla are sound asleep. Suddenly, smoke engulfs the bedroom.

“I smell smoke!” Dollie exclaims.

“What should we do?” Tekla asks.

“Let’s call 911!” Dollie says.

“Freeze!” says Tekla.

The classroom at the Anaheim Senior Day Center is quiet.

Tekla is an improvisational actress from Stop-Gap, a nonprofit theatrical production company based in Santa Ana that uses improvisation to help groups role-play issues that have significance to them.

Tekla comes out of her character to address the class about how and when to use the emergency 911 number.

“Do you think in this situation we should immediately call 911, or do you think we should try to get out of the house and call from a neighbor’s phone?”

Responses ring out from the classroom, but as a whole the group decides it’s best to get out of the house. Tekla and Dollie resume their improvisation.

It’s drama-therapy programs like this that are the basis for Stop-Gap. Whether it’s a workshop for a small group or a large-scale theatrical production on stage at the South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, Stop-Gap uses theater to discuss social issues specific to its audience.

The company has performed before senior citizens, juvenile offenders, battered women and others, and has dealt with such issues as date rape, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, racial tension, drug abuse and everyday living.

Stop-Gap’s theater “is used to empower different groups we work with,” says Robert Knapp, program director and resident playwright. “We do a lot of improvisation to get them (clients) up to role-play parts about issues that would have significance to the lives of the whole group.”

Stop-Gap is seeking expressive volunteers to help with its programs. “Volunteers are currently needed in every area,” says Jessica Stuart, program coordinator. “We need help making the sets on the major productions, but mainly we need volunteers for the drama therapy program, to actually be in the improvisation. If someone is interested, they must decide which program they’re interested in, what time suits them best and come and watch a program a few times before committing.

“Volunteers must make at least a six-month commitment to the same program every week.”

Stuart says Stop-Gap is “not looking for any great performances. No theater training is required. The improvisations are a lot of fun because you get to act and you are helping a lot of other people.”

The drama-therapy programs are conducted between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at various county locations. Volunteers must provide their own transportation.

For information, contact Jessica Stuart at (714) 648-0135. Stop-Gap is at 523 N. Grand Ave. in Santa Ana.