The Paper

September 20, 2006

Group Delivers Message of Hope in Abingdon

By TERRY HAYWOOD

A message of caution and patience was passed on to high school and middle school students in Abingdon last Friday, Sept. 8.; they were treated to the performance group "MWAH!" (Messages Which Are Hopeful!), and served a tasty country song co-authored by director Ray Moffitt and, co-director, 15-year-old Michael Todd Emery who performed "Wait Awhile." Todd was joined in the vocals by George Bischoff and Michael Notardonato, both 13. A fourth troupe member, David (DC) Scarzone, also was part of the piece, according to Moffitt.

On the menu of things students were treated to during the 90-minute assembly were songs and skits touching on racial relations, relationships, and the consequences of drunk driving.

The Rockridge student, Ryan Murdock, a star baseball player, died May 2005 at the age of 19 in an alcohol related crash during a visit home from his freshman classes at Southern Illinois University. According to MWAH! director, Ray Moffitt, "He had just left a late night keg party at a friend's farm house."

Also appearing on the program was Ryan's mother, Joanne Murdock, and Illinois State Police Sgt. Thomas J. Burek.

Though Friday was the first time the performing arts troupe had appeared in Abingdon, they had performed at Galesburg High School last November. It was then Abingdon High School Principal Chad Cox and middle school principal Stan Adcock had seen the group in action, and thereafter decided to invite them to Abingdon. The troupe has gained a reputation for being capable of capturing the attention of its audience and engaging them. For instance, to open the GHS event a mock fist fight broke out between a white and black student. The other students had no idea the fight was put on and many of the teachers appeared equally shocked. However, within the first 10 minutes of the opening performance, the two boys entered from both sides of the stage joined in song with a message discouraging violence and racial hatred.

"I really like the message you get from MWAH!," Tori Addis, 13, a Wethersfield Junior High School student from Kewanee said. Addis attended a MWAH! performance at her junior high school last May. She was asked to perform the group's opening performance along with life long friend Jordan Horrie, 13, also from Wethersfield. Tori sang "I Hope You Dance" and Jordan performed an interpretive dance to Dancing-Pon-de-Replay.

"It's about choices," Tori said referring to what she believes young people will get out of the performance.

"I'm excited to be involved with such a cool group," Jordan said. "This is such an effective way to get kids to listen and think about issues we are dealing with," said Jordan. Combining real life drama, high energy hip-hop dance, and both original and cover songs, the nine-member troupe, primarily teenagers, ranging in age from 10 to 18, also focus on other issues such as child abuse in the home, hate crimes and related conflicts stemming from racial diversity, abusive teen dating relationships, bullying, and finding what is hopeful and good in negative situations.

The troupe is affiliated with the Chicago Area Project, a grass-roots service and advocacy agency based in downtown Chicago and part of a statewide community services network targeting at-risk youth and their families.