Right Message For The Right People

The Register-Mail

(Galesburg, Illinois)

By Amee Bohrer

Chicago area troupe presents program on social problems

“There are good ways and bad ways to deal with emotions,” MWAH! member Mikey Emery, 15 of Aurora, said during one skit. “I sit back and do something I enjoy doing. It’s important to deal with these emotions without hurting other people... and without hurting ourselves.”
Such messages were interspersed throughout the program, as positive solutions for problem solving were shared by MWAH! members, who help write the material they perform.

The program began with a scuffle in the aisle between two boys, pulled off each other by school officials. What might have been another boring school assembly suddenly was interesting to GHS students, who were looking around to see what was happening.

It was only when Simon Rodriguez, 19, of Aurora and Carlos Griffin, 23, of Chicago, walked on stage and embraced that the audience realized the fight was staged as part of the program they were about to witness, and cheers broke out during the reconciliation that set the tone for the next hour.

Songs such as “You Raise Me Up,” by Josh Groban, “Tears of Heaven” by Eric Clapton, “Lose Control” by Missy Elliott and “Where is the Love?” by Black-Eyed Peas were used to reinforce the messages of each skit dealing with a different social problem.
“We try to keep (the program) contemporary, because audiences relate to that,” said Ray Moffitt, executive producer and founder of MWAH!, which has been preforming at conferences, retreats and schools for 11 years.

A tribute to Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Wehrly, a GHS graduate who died Nov. 3 in Iraq, was added to the program in the last week. Two troupe members wearing military style shirts with buttons bearing Wehrly’s picture stood in front of an American flag. A moment of silence was observed and a tribute song performed, followed by GHS math teacher Rosemary Eisemann speaking on what she remembered about her former student.

She spoke about his kindness, integrity and willingness to help others.
“He was a genuinely good person... someone you’d love to have as a friend,” Eisemann said. “Kyle left a legacy, that we should strive to do our best with what we have, where we are.”

Joanne Murdock stood in the middle of the stage, during a song in tribute to her son, Ryan Murdock, 19, who was killed in an alcohol-related crash in May. She struggled to maintain composure and talked about the impact Ryan’s death has had on her.

“As parents, we try to teach you right from wrong. That’s why we check on you when you’re gone, ask where you’re going, and who you’ll be with,” Murdock said. “It’s not that we don’t want to let you make your own decisions; it’s just that we want to help you make the right decisions. It is in hope that something like this would never happen.”
Following Murdock was State Police Sgt. Tom Burek who talked about making choices to wear a seat belt and resist temptations to drink and drive.

“There’s not an adult in this room who hasn’t said, “If I could be 16 again. .., ” Burek said. “That’s because they’d make different choices. Please, make the right choices.”

Galesburg High School junior LaTrece Michell said the MWAH! program made a meaningful connection with her.
“I liked when they were talking about peer pressure,” Michell said. ”It was talking about things that I go through. They got deep.”
Sophomore Elisabeth Burton was intent on getting MWAH! member Andrew Hull, 18, of DeKalb, to autograph one of her sneakers, for one simple reason.

“He’s really, really, hot!”

“It was outstanding,” State Rep. Don Moffitt, R- Gilson, said of the impact MWAH! had on the sizeable student audience.

“This group really connected with the student body,” Moffitt said. “I really appreciated their tribute to Kyle Wehrly. That was difficult, but so needed. It’s the right message, with the right people, at the right time.”

MWAH! artists (left to right) Simon Rodriguez, Mikey Emery,
and Lauren Verstat are shown as part of the piece "Whiskey Lullaby"
during the Galesburg High School assembly on November 18, 2005. The piece focused on good ways and bad ways in dealing with painful emotions related to stress and loss. MWAH! mixes skits, dancing
and songs to promote healthy and positive choices.
Photo: Ralph Henning, Athletic Director, Galesburg High School

The MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe presents a tribute during the Galesburg High School assembly to Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Wehrly, a GHS graduate who died November 3, 2005, in Iraq. Shown are troupe artists Simon Rodriguez and Lauren Verstat singing the song "Arlington" and Mikey Emery portraying the grandfather characterin the song. Personnel from the Illinois State Police and a local military unit also participated in the special tribute piece.

Photo: Ralph Henning, Athletic Director, Galesburg High School