Benicia High Gets a Real Education in Sex

students were treated Wednesday to a live action theatre production about sex. Secrets combines live actors with music and humor to discuss the realities of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The program is part of Kaiser Permanente's free Educational Theatre Programs.

The play features five teenage characters portrayed by young actors who also play the parts of parents, doctors and STD clinic professionals. The story takes us through typical relationships between the characters, who openly discuss their sexual activities and anxieties.

The tale touches on casual  hooking up, unprotected sex, pregnancy, peer pressure, contraceptives and STDs. It ends with a teenager giving birth to an HIV-positive baby.

The conclusion appeared to hit home with the audience. Students were engaged throughout the performance because they could relate to it. The audience even applauded during a first kiss, and the scene in which a female character decides to remain celibate.

The quality of the production was high and used language that teens understand. It also cleverly included a how to segment on the use of a condom, as well as common misunderstandings about STD transmission.

Kaiser has been offering the Secrets program for 25 years. The original script had the main character contracting HIV by shooting up steroids in the 1980s, because it was not politically correct to talk openly about sex. The production has since evolved into a storyline with which today's students are familiar.

The title Secrets refers to all kinds of secrets that teens keep, not just sexual concerns, but topics such as physical abuse, suicidal thoughts, homosexuality and fear of acceptance.

After the production, the actors offered a few more facts and resources for teens. They also took questions. There was only time for a few, but students could stay after and speak to the performers one-on-one, which many did. Wallet cards were also handed out, with resources for HIV testing, sex education and dating violence.

The performers are not only actors, but experts on the topics. The performance schedule is available online for parents or educators to review.

Kaiser's auditions for actors include extensive background checks. It also looks for compatibility with the show's touring lifestyle. Although the actors look like high-school students, they are all young adults. Christine Jamlig, 23, is in her first season. Tracy Power, 25, and Karina Gutierrez, 24, are in their second seasons and Huan Dong, 25, has been with the show for three years. The most senior actor, Brendan Simon, is 30 and has been with the program for 10 years.

“The whole program started with a traveling menagerie show for kids," explained Power. “But when the AIDS epidemic hit, we immediately saw a need to create a show. In 1988, a Bay Area playwright wrote the script, but the content was decided on by a Community Advisory Board made up of doctors, counselors and even students.”

Kaiser offers a variety of educational theatrical productions to schools, health fairs and youth groups. Shows include The Best Me, healthy eating and active living for grades 3-5. Peace Signs deals with bullying and violence prevention for grades 3-6 and Nightmare on Puberty Street is designed for grades 6-8. The programs serve Northern California and troupes perform at a different school every day, five days a week. Each performance encourages the students to start conversations with their parents.

A booking liaison schedules performances. Schools, community groups and high-risk groups such as juvenile detention centers can contact Kaiser's Educational Theare Programs to request a free performance.