Drama Offers Youth Respite From Trauma

Fifteen-year-old Vadim Kovalchuk pulls back an imaginary hunter’s bow, releases and shoots down an imaginary game bird. He reaches for the ground, holds an imaginary knife and uses it to prepare the kill for cooking.

Crouched on a makeshift stage before a group of friends and family who are there to see the culmination of a 10-week acting class for victims of domestic violence, Vadim joyfully chomps on his prize and the crowd erupts in applause.

For that moment, the unassuming youth who resides with his mother, two brothers and a sister at the Interval House in Midway City, does not have to think about his father’s bouts with drinking and fights with his mom. Instead, the oldest son of a Latvian family--who came to the U.S to find prosperity four years ago but instead found despair--is blossoming.

At the shelter, which is one of seven Interval House facilities for victims of violence and abuse in Los Angeles and Orange counties, Vadim is among 17 youths completing the summer session. The class is part of an outreach program by Interval House’s Second Generation acting group and ended last week with an open-house performance of acting exercises and short skits.

South Coast Repertory provided Interval House with teacher Steve DeNaut as part of the theater group’s Neighborhood Conservancy program. The conservancy frequently gives support to young acting groups by sending instructors to after-school and community center programs. For DeNaut, a former theater actor who has been teaching performance skills to youth for many years, the 10-week relationship with his students, many with horrific personal stories, left a lasting impression.

The class “was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in 20 years, just because of their enthusiasm,” DeNaut said. “These kids were hungry, and I watched them blossom. I miss them already.”

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Vadim Kovalchuk was not the only family member shining at last week’s performance. His 14-year-old brother, Alex, karate-chopped his way to center stage to portray a martial arts character that he invented for an acting exercise DeNaut calls “60 seconds of fame.”

Prompted by DeNaut, Alex sat in a chair with a straight face and lowered voice and said he could not break a piece of wood in two but could certainly bust up bad guys.

For the same exercise, his sister, Kristina, 9, slowly and gingerly made her way to the same chair, mimicking the movements of an elderly person. The audience laughed when she answered DeNaut’s question about her age, saying sheepishly that she was 60.

During the presentation and class, children from the shelter were joined by Second Generation, a core group of Interval House residents, alumni and volunteers that performs skits in an effort to increase awareness about abuse. Their dialogue about abusive relationships--acted out in scenes between teens at the mall, on dates or with parents at home--is an effective tool in confronting the problems of abuse, Interval House officials say.

Perfecting acting skills and performing is a form of “drama therapy” that has changed these children’s lives, DeNaut said.

“The difference between when I first saw these kids and now is like night and day,” he said. “When I came to the first class, the two Russian boys didn’t speak very much at all. I’ve seen a great change in all three of those kids. The difference is remarkable.”

The older Kovalchuk said he is happy to have been a part of the class and has seen a change in himself, his brother and sister.

“They’re not shy anymore,” Vadim said.

As for his future plans?

“Maybe, someday to be famous,” he said.