Throughout Civic Theatre’s production of “Jagged Little Pill,” the performance will extend beyond the stage to offer real-time support for audience members, cast, and crew processing the show’s intense themes.
Through a forward-thinking partnership, Prevail Inc., a Hamilton County-based organization dedicated to supporting survivors of crime and abuse, is working alongside the theater company to provide trauma-informed resources before, during, and after each performance.
Inspired by Alanis Morissette’s seminal album, “Jagged Little Pill” follows the Healy family as they navigate addiction, sexual assault, grief, and family conflict. Recognizing the potential weight of these subjects, Civic Theatre leadership sought out Prevail to ensure the production was handled with intention and care.
“I applaud them for reaching out and partnering with us so we can just be a tremendous support to them,” said Tami Wanninger, executive director at Prevail. “I think this partnership is really forward-thinking. I’m just so appreciative of Civic Theatre for really reaching out to us and saying, ‘We want to do this right, and we want to be thoughtful in this approach.’”
The collaboration began well before opening night. Prevail’s director of services met directly with the show’s cast and crew to provide education on trauma-informed care and outline what to expect if someone discloses personal trauma.
“That’s already taken place to provide some education around trauma-informed approaches and get the cast and crew comfortable, but also to provide opportunities for them to ask us questions,” Wanninger said. “An important part of this is the level of care that they’re putting into this — not just authenticity and quality of acting, but care for the storylines.”
During the show’s run, a Prevail representative will be present at every performance with a dedicated resource table to assist anyone seeking information or immediate support.
“We understand that sometimes the contents could be triggering for some individuals,” Wanninger said. “We appreciate that they have partnered with us to be able to make sure that resource and advocate support is available for anyone who might need it right then and there at the moment.”
For Prevail, which has served more than 70,000 survivors in the community since 1986, the partnership offers a vital opportunity to connect with local residents, including newer community members who may be unfamiliar with the nonprofit’s services.
“It creates awareness about the work that we do, making sure that people know that we are here,” Wanninger said. “We always want to make sure that our entire community — Hamilton County — is aware that we’re here for them should they ever need us.”
“Jagged Little Pill” runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. from Oct. 2 through Oct. 17 at Civic Theatre in Carmel. Due to mature themes — including addiction, sexual assault, and strong language — viewer discretion is advised.
Tickets and additional show information are available at thecenterpresents.org. To learn more about local support services and survivor resources, visit prevailinc.org.
