PLAY TACKLES DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF COCAINE

Cocaine seems to be the most emotionally destructive drug in the
lives of people in smaller communities throughout B.C., according to
research done by Street Spirits Theatre Company.

The group did the research as part of developing their ever-changing
play called Juiced.

Youth in Street Spirits, who use an interactive forum method of
performing, toured 10 communities, including Lumby, Vernon,
Armstrong, Squamish, Whistler, Skidegate, Masset, Terrace, Kitimat
and Dawson Creek. The youth interviewed and interacted with more than
1,000 people to discover that it wasn't well-known ecstasy, or
crystal meth, that was the crisis-causing culprit.

"We see cocaine as a problem everywhere, with its connection to
organized crime and the trafficking of the drug," said Andrew Burton,
artistic director of Street Spirits. And the concerns might not be
what is usually associated with such a dangerously addictive substance.

"People are very aware of the health issues, but they're more
concerned with relationships and how they are affected by cocaine use
- -- marriages break down, parents use and that hurts the children,"
Burton said. "Drugs come in and relationships fall apart. You start
looking at that, and those are the issues that are included in the
performance of Juiced."

The play, about life in the fast lane, will be presented Thursday at
7:30 p.m. at Art Space. Admission is by donation. The event is a
fundraiser for six Street Spirits youth, who have been invited to
hold a workshop at Performing the World, an international theatre
festival in New York City in October.

The youth will teach and showcase the forum style of theatre they use
to perpetuate change. They do that by getting people talking and
actively seeking solutions to the problems hard-hitting social issues
like substance abuse, family violence, and racism can cause in a community.

Burton said it will cost about $12,000 for the six youth to make the
trip. Burton, who will escort the youth, said he's got an idea about
who will attend, but it's not confirmed. He will announce the
attendees closer to the festival date.

During the festival, delegates from 25 countries will gather together
to learn new skills and hone existing ones. Street Spirits will hold
an educational workshop and perform one afternoon during the
three-day conference, and the group will take in other activities and
tour New York while they are there.

Burton said if anyone is interested in donating to the group to call
him at 565-6332.