Drinking, boyfriends, peer pressure, and Facebook friends were all dealt with by acting group Peer Players in their performance on March 12 at Toquet Hall. They combined improv with realistic scenes, and asked the audience for opinions and feedback on touchy, yet relevant subjects in the teenagers’ lives. The actors conveyed their message in a creative way, while the teenage audience received a chance to speak or act a bit as well.

The show was attended by 7th through 12th graders from towns such as Wilton, Westport, and Weston. It was one of many shows by the Peer Players, which consists of local middle and high school students.

The group is directed by Barry Halpin, prevention specialist for Liberation Programs, a Stamford-based health-care agency for substance abuse. He has been directing the Peer Players for 20 years. “[I] like to combine theater with a mission,” said Halpin, “what I try to do is reach people in the best way possible.”

Halpin addressed the fact that over the last two decades, the subjects discussed in the shows have remained fairly constant.

Common topics presented by the Peer Players are “relationships, underage drinking, and drugs,” said Halpin. He noted that a newer topic has recently been added- “cyberbullying and predators.”

Those topics affect many teenagers, such as Peer Player Amy Sullivan, a senior at Wilton High School. She got involved in Peer Players, as Sullivan said, when “[Halpin] came to my theater [and] kind of recruited me.” Sullivan enjoys performing, but notes that it is “weird presenting these topics.”

“I fall to the same problems all teenagers do,” said Sullivan.

Fellow Peer Player Drew Mitchell, Wilton High School senior Drew Mitchell, has been a member of the group for four months. He admits to always enjoying the theatre, and believes that the Peer Player performances are successful.

“It seems like people come here hesitant,” said Mitchell, further explaining how by the end, people “get into it.” One member of the audience, Gabby Bras ’11 of Wilton High School, thoroughly enjoyed the performance. She was the first audience volunteer, and got to deal with a completely drunk friend being seduced by an attractive boy at a party.

“I thought it was very amusing,” said Bras.

She believed the show was something “kids our age [would] easily be able to focus on.” Bras also thought the show was a success “because it’s interactive.”

Sullivan shared a similar sentiment, saying that because the Peer Players involve the audience, the audience is able to really think and learn more than in a health class.

“It’s better than watered down drink-and-drive,” said Sullivan.