“Words Not Spoken” is a dynamic, interactive, improvisational theatre, educational and prevention program addressing issues such as: teen and young adult dating violence; bullying; cancer survivorship; building self-esteem; customer service and other workplace issues; intimacy and sexuality in aging; communication and choices in death and dying; domestic violence; child abuse; elder abuse; family relationships; and other life experiences. “Words Not Spoken” is effective with professional audiences, as well as teenagers, students of all ages, young adults, parents and other adults from the general community. 

Experience an actual “Words Not Spoken” by watching the following video clips.
Teen and Young Adult Dating Violence	Cancer Survivorship
Communication and Choices in Dealing with Death and Dying	Say "NO" to Bullying and "YES" to Healthy Relationships

This program is an innovative way to present different life problems and educate on healthy relationships and effective communication in many areas. The program begins with an improvisational drama depicting intimate moments of each character, using non-professional actors, who are participants from: the sponsoring organization / company; a group of community individuals; or others who have participated in previous presentations.

After the theatre presentation, the actors stay in the character of the person they have just portrayed and the audience gets an opportunity to have a dialogue with them. The facilitator/director guides this discussion between the actors and the audience. During the post-theatre dialogue between the audience and actors, and group discussion that follows, information and education is shared on the topic by the facilitator, actors and audience.

Hedda Matza-Haughton also offers classroom sessions and performance based programs to schools as an artist in residence. She has worked with students in classroom settings dealing with such issues as bullying and dating violence and also has worked with students to do performance based school programs. The students participating in the acting, in the audience, and in the classroom sessions, learn how to say “No” to bullying and dating violence and how to say “Yes” to healthy relationships, in her most recent programs. Please click here to see the veriety of venues for her work.

Hedda Matza-Haughton also offers another exciting way to begin the "Words Not Spoken" Program. She, as the facilitator, using herself as the sole actor, portrays through improvisational drama, a variety of the characters dealing with the issue. For example, her portrayal of “Words Not Spoken,” using herself as the sole actor was outstanding, in that it truly spoke to the issues faced by cancer survivors over time. She has also done solo performances on the topics of Aging, Intimacy and Sexuality, as well as on the issue of Family Violence. Please click here to read about an example of a program where Hedda does a poignant and at times humorous solo acting performance of all the characters. This can be done on any of the topics offered in the "Words Not Spoken" series.