Influencing Performances

ETP's Hannah Cordero, Danielle Keller, Jared Randolph, and Keinya Williams Lawrence all first saw KP's theatre group as children.

Kaiser Permanente Performers Now Acting in Shows That Influenced Them as Kids

Keinya Williams Lawrence was in 2nd grade when she saw "Professor Bodywise" at Loma Vista Elementary School in Vallejo courtesy of Kaiser Permanente's Educational Theatre Programs (ETP).

"The character I remember most was 'Nikki Teen the Soccer Queen,'" said Lawrence, now 30. "She was huge and she was fun, and I was really impressed by her non-smoking message. I guess she must have had a strong impact on me, because I've never smoked a day in my life."

Nine years ago, Lawrence joined the cast of Kaiser Permanente's Educational Theatre Programs (ETP) — the same program that brought its first show to her school more than 20 years ago. ETP uses live theatre, music, comedy, and drama to inspire audiences to make healthier choices. Professional actors/educators, who are also trained in peer counseling, talk informally with students after each show.

"I really believe in what we're doing," said Lawrence, who has acted in all four award-winning ETP presentations and now serves as program coordinator for "P.E.A.C.E. Signs," a play about conflict resolution for grades 3-6. "This is very meaningful, purposeful work."

Becca (Kirsch) Posamentier saw "Nightmare on Puberty Street" at Montera Junior High in Oakland when she was in 8th grade. She saved a list of hotline numbers given out after the show and, when a friend became depressed and suicidal a year later, called several numbers and asked for advice.

"I felt good knowing I could do something to help my friend," said Posamentier, now 29, who worked with ETP for five years. "Thinking back on that time made me realize that we never really know how our work is going to impact the audience years down the line. That experience made me put more attention into every detail of my performance."

Jared Randolph, a six-year veteran of ETP, saw "Nightmare on Puberty Street" at Sequoia Middle School in Pleasant Hill.

"Back then, I was in that 'too-cool-for-anything' mode," he said, "so my expectations were pretty low. But the power of the show definitely turned me around. It addressed all the things that 13- and 14-year-old kids are thinking about and going through, but no one ever talks about.

Today, Randolph, 29, is directing the K-5 program, "Zip's Great Day," an interactive show created from the original "Professor Bodywise" (now retired), launched in 1985.

Hannah Cordero saw "Bodywise" as a first-grader at Anna Kyle Elementary School in Fairfield. "I remember the puppets coming out of boxes, all the colors, how big everything was," she said. "As a child, it was magical to me. I love bringing that magic to other children as a way of educating them about making healthy choices."

Now 25, Cordero has spent the last two years performing and is currently assistant production manager for "P.E.A.C.E. Signs."

ETP summer intern Danielle Keller, 17, will be a senior at Lionel Wilson College Prep Academy in Oakland this fall. She saw "Secrets," a powerful play about HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases for grades 9-12, her freshman year.

"It made a great impression on me," she said. "A couple of my friends were pressuring me to be sexually active. Then I saw 'Secrets' and realized I had choices and the power to say 'no.' I stopped hanging out with my old group of friends, met a girl who had also been feeling pressured, and we became best friends. The show changed the direction of both our lives."

A community benefit of Kaiser Permanente, ETP productions and workshops are offered free to eligible schools and community groups within the Northern California Region. For more information, call (510) 987-2223.