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Thank You Concrete Theatre

Ms Blakeman:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to recognize and celebrate the 20th anniversary of Concrete Theatre and, in doing so, to focus on their longest running project, Are We There Yet?

Now, Concrete Theatre was formed to carry on the long-standing tradition in Edmonton theatre of social action theatre. Are We There Yet? was created by Jane Heather and is an innovative piece of theatre that works in important ways as a teaching tool on sexual health for kids. Thanks to Jane Heather for creating it and to the many actors and directors, stage managers, and designers who have toured the show across Alberta to grade 9 students over the last 11 years.

Are We There Yet? is a successful learning tool for young people as they grapple with a bewildering buffet of sexual images in magazines, online, TV, video games, bus shelter ads, you name it. The Edmonton public school board has done a large research project on this show, and it reinforces that in quantitative and qualitative measures positive, measurable change occurs for both male and female students.

The play’s messages about the importance of setting personal boundaries are welcomed by young people. Students reported that they learned to be aware of their own limits, to be cognizant of their partner’s boundaries, and to give importance to communication. This has been a very successful and long-running project because it honours kids and gives them information to make good decisions.

I’ll give the final words to them. “It helped me realize that people have to respect my body and boundaries.” “It made me know to stand up for myself and my limits are my limits and if I don’t want to go further, I don’t have to.” Finally, “Yeah it changed things I would do. It made me more knowledgeable of what to do in those types of situations.”

Are We There Yet? is a great example of your success, Concrete Theatre, and I hope more Alberta kids have the opportunity to see the show and learn those valuable life lessons. You’ve made a very, very positive change in Edmonton and in Alberta.

Thank you so much, Concrete Theatre.