On Sunday, October 7th, the Allentown Public Theatre and Trinity Episcopal Church in Easton hosted Coming Clean, an interactive performance exploring local issues surrounding the opioid epidemic. The event was sponsored in part by the LVEHC and focused mainly on the theme of diversity in communities in the Lehigh Valley over the past 50 years.
Guided by Allentown Public Theatre performers, participants physically positioned themselves on a spectrum to reflect agreement, disagreement, or uncertainty with statements such as, “I could never become addicted.” Performers facilitated discussions to clear up misconceptions, giving scenarios like being unconscious and being administered morphine, bringing to light how people with addiction and in recovery are hidden from other communities, including faith communities. Instantly, participants could see whether or not they were in the majority and that some issues were not clear-cut. Through the interactive performance, participants got a deeper appreciation for the facts that addiction does not discriminate and cuts across all income levels and can stem from prescription painkillers given for legitimate pain management.
These immersive activities helped advance one of the goals for the event–to explore the diversity of communities by giving community members a more complete and balanced understanding of those who suffer from addiction. The event culminated a three-week “spotlight” on recovery and addiction at Trinity, with a series of speakers on the topic.