Virginia Repertory Theatre and Prevent Child Abuse Virginia
Celebrate 30 Years of Hugs and Kisses
Virginia’s Principal Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program
Virginia Repertory Theatre announces the 30th anniversary celebration of the nationally acclaimed child sexual abuse prevention program Hugs and Kisses.
The free anniversary performance will take place Wednesday, October 16 at 7:00 p.m. at the Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre, 114 West Broad Street. This awardwinning landmark musical play sensitively tells the story of a little girl who has been sexually abused. During the course of the play, the girl and her friends learn valuable life lessons that enable her to talk to a trusted adult who can bring help. Juan Conde from Channel 8 News will EMCEE the event. A question and answer session and reception will follow immediately after the program.
Hugs and Kisses is a unique partnership between Prevent Child Abuse Virginia (PCAV),
the Virginia Department of Social Services and Virginia Rep. Now in its 30th year of
touring, Hugs and Kisses introduces the concepts of good touch, bad touch and secret
touch to elementary school students in a sensitive and an age appropriate manner
through an enjoyable musical play. Both Johanna Schuchert, Executive Director of
PCAV, and Ann Childress, CPS Prevention Supervisor from Social Services, agree that
collaboration has been the key to keeping this program going since 1983. “All three
organizations and other valuable partners have worked together at the state level.
Schools, local social services and other community groups such as women’s clubs have
supported the effort locally. We are all appreciative of the difference this program has
made for children in Virginia.”
The project began with a 1981 conversation between Bruce Miller, then Artistic Director
of Theatre IV, and Ann Childress from the Virginia Department of Social Services.
Childress persuaded Miller that an educational program about child sexual abuse was
needed for school age children. After 18 months of research, Miller along with
playwright Terry Bliss and composer, Richard Giersch, had created the child abuse
prevention play. Miller remembers that in the early years, Hugs and Kisses was not an
easy sell. “In 1983, no school in Virginia would even accept a free performance so we
provided seven showcase performances across the state. During that time period, a
major case of child abuse broke at a childcare facility in California and child sexual
abuse was featured on the cover of Time and Newsweek. Within days, the show was
fully booked and has been ever since.”
Hugs and Kisses has been shown in every school district in Virginia and has been seen
by approximately 1.5 million children. An independent evaluation is conducted annually.
The evaluation consistently supports that children learn the prevention message across
all elementary school grade levels. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many children
have sought and received the help they need to end existing sexual victimization as a
result of Hugs and Kisses and related dialogue.
Funding from the Virginia Department of Social Services, Virginia Commission for the
Arts, and foundations and corporations allows Virginia Rep to take Hugs and Kisses to
over 150 schools annually for a subsidized price of $150 – $350. In many cases, the
play is performed at no cost to the school.
Hugs and Kisses has been recognized nationally as an important prevention tool. The
United States Department of Health and Human Services awarded Bruce Miller the
Commissioner’s Award to honor his “outstanding contribution to the field of child abuse
and neglect.” The program itself has received the Governor’s Award for service to the
Commonwealth and the Award for Excellence in Prevention from the Virginia Council in
Coordinating Prevention. In addition, Hugs and Kisses was performed before the U. S.
Senate Sub-Committee on the Sexual Victimization of Children and was the keynote
address at the national conference of the National Committee for Prevention of Child
Abuse.
For more information about the event or the Hugs and Kisses contact Ronnie Brown at
rbrown@va-rep.org or 783-1688 ext 1130.
