Improv group illustrates dangers of binge drinking

By Valeria Martinez and Celeste Berrington

VCNC reporters

A mother and her unborn child are killed in a car accident involving a drunk, underage driver. This scenario left the audience in silence as the lights were turned back on in Ventura College’s Circus Theatre on Wednesday, Feb. 27, wrapping up Straight Up Reality Improv’s presentation on underage binge drinking.

 The theater was filled with about 80 students who are currently enrolled in health courses.

The hour-long presentation was not intended to lecture students, but to have the audience actively participate. Notepads were handed out to the audience in groups of three or four, and the audience was asked to write down answers based on the improvisational skits as they were performed. Between each group’s presentations, program director Katherine Kasmir asked the audience questions that they were to answer based on impulse and personal experience.

Students from the Ventura College theater program assisted in the event, performing the improv skits to portray situations that happen among underage drinkers.

Student Kimberly Gomez attended the informational event and was impressed by the actors. “With no props except for four chairs, they acted out every situation thrown to them, with only themselves and no script,” she said.

The skits included situations of people taking advantage of their parents being out of town and of different ways that alcohol is exposed and available to underage people.

“I learned a lot of things,” Gomez said. “Like, I didn’t know that when you have people over at your house and you’re over 21 and they are under, you are responsible for them if they leave or if they get in an accident,” she said, referring to the Social Host ordinance in Ventura County. Under such ordinances in most cities in Ventura County, hosts of parties where underage drinking takes place can be fined about $1,000. In addition, if a person is injured because of the drinking that took place, the host can go to jail for a minimum of six months.

For more information on Straight Up Reality Improv, visit www.straightupvc.org.