children’s theater | Allen Morrison - Music Journalist, Jazz Pianist, Songwriter, Lecturer

Press Advisory for Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 (download here)

What: Sticks & Stones, interactive performance of musical about bullying for children in grades 5-8.

Who: Lyle Cogen, award-winning performing artist and anti-bullying activist

Where: Mount Sinai Middle School, North Country Road, Mt. Sinai, NY

When: January 25 at 8:45 and 10 A.M. Lyle will be available for interviews following the second show (approx.10:45 A.M.).

Contacts: Allen Morrison, (516) 509-8453; Elizabeth Hine, Asst. Principal (631- 870-2700).

“No put-downs… pass it around.” That simple, memorable chant, when taken up by an auditorium full of fully engaged pre-teens, has the power to change kids’ lives for the better.

It’s a part of the musical play Sticks & Stones, written and performed by Bellmore resident Lyle Cogen, an award-winning performing artist and anti-bullying activist. Now, as part of the observance of national “No Name-Calling Week” (January 23-27), Lyle will bring the show to Mount Sinai Middle School on Wednesday, January 25, with performances at 8:45 and 10 A.M. You can see a video preview of Sticks & Stones at Lyle’s website: www.lylecogen.com.

The play, commissioned by Tilles Center for the Performing Arts and funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, has been performed before thousands of students in theaters and schools throughout the U.S. “No Name-Calling Week” is an annual week of educational activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an ongoing dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying in their communities (more info at www.nonamecallingweek.org.)

Sticks & Stones was created to help children, parents and teachers respond to the epidemic of bullying and cyber-bullying in schools and online. Making use of music, poetry and video projection, it tells the story of a brother and a sister who both experience bullying behavior, peer pressure and loss of friends. Lyle plays all the characters, using simple costume changes.

“The show aims to create a positive change in the school culture by bringing the subject of bullying out in the open,” Lyle said. “It helps children examine their own behavior and shows them how to stop being ‘bystanders’ and become ‘allies’ instead.”

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