MWAH! troupe a motivational force at 2011 Illinois Teen Institute at Western Illinois University
(published July 23, 2011)
By: Sally Adams for
The McDonough County Voice (www.mcdonoughvoice.com)
(published July 23, 2011 @ 10:47 AM)
July 23, 2011
Macomb, Illinois - MWAH!, which stands for Messages Which Are Hopeful, a motivational troupe for teens, visited Western Illinois University on Wednesday.
Part of the Illinois Teen Institute, which focuses on providing healthy alternatives to alcohol, tobacco and related substances conference at WIU, MWAH!, performed to a full house in the student rec center auxilary gym.
Made up of 12 youths ranging in age from 11 to 20, the performers put on an ensemble that is full of real life drama combined with contemporary music and includes audience interaction.
They have an overall focus of what is happening with today's youth and their families, and a common thread is choices and the importance of making the right ones. The performers are mostly from the western suburbs of Chicago as well as northern and north central Illinois. Their main target are at-risk youths and their families. They perform musical performances based upon serious situations.
MWAH! was organized by Ray Moffitt in 1983 under the name Explosonic Rockers Street Jazz Theatrical Troupe. Moffitt was then a police social worker in the western Chicago suburb of Maywood.
In 1993 it morphed into the MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe. Wednesday's show was performed for hundreds of Illinois high school students who deal with life-threatening situations on a daily basis. The troupe's hope is to motivate teens to make the right decisions when faced with such situations.
The troupe's performances focused on such teen realities as the lack of diversity acceptance, suicide, bullying, racism, drunk driving, violence, and physical and emotional abuse. They did so by shining some light on real life examples, some of which have effected the performers personally.
On hand to talk to them about some of these issues, including talking and texting on a cell phone while driving as well as new seat belt laws in the state of Illinois, was State Representative Norine Hammond.
Not a fan of government ruling the lives of citizens, she did not support these pieces of legislation because as she stated, "you should be smart enough to make the right decisions on your own and are more than capable of doing so."
Representative Hammond commended MWAH! and the audience for the wonderful program they put on. She also welcomed them to Springfield any time they wanted because, as she stated, "we need your energy!"
Some of the participants are not only siblings of previous participants but have also been a part of MWAH! for as many as seven years. Their musical performances included both current and past hits that the teen audience can get into, relate to, and appreciate.
For more information on MWAH! visit www.mwah.net or call 630-993-0003.
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