"Dead Serious...About Life” to be performed in Hillsboro

The musical drama "Dead Serious...About Life” will be performed in Hillsboro this June at Southern State Community College.

Every four seconds, a teenager will attempt suicide. Approximately 11 young people between the ages of 15-24 die every day by suicide. One out of three 13- to 15-year-olds have had sex. Each day, 2,989 kids find out that their parents are getting divorced. In 24 hours, 15,006 teens will use drugs for the first time. One in five teens say they have purposely injured themselves.

These statistics are alarming. If you know any teenagers, you know the daily pressures and issues that they face are enormous. Where do you begin? How do you help them? 

There is a group in the Cincinnati area who have something that can reach out to hundreds of sixth-12th grade students. It is coming to Hillsboro and will impact hundreds of students.

The production will be performed by a non-profit group called Mishpachah, Inc., which is based out of Mason. Production dates are Saturday, June 8 at 6 p.m. at Southern State Community College and Sunday, June 9 at 3 p.m. at Southern State Community College.

Mishpachah, Inc. is an auditioned group of high school students from Cincinnati and the surrounding area who participate in this community nonprofit organization. Since June of 1989, the group has been performing the production "Dead Serious...About Life,” which deals with many issues that teens have to face every day. The underlying subject matter is teenage suicide. The production is students reaching out to other students.

"Dead Serious...About Life" is a production written to appeal to teenagers. It is upfront ... it is blunt ... it is life. 

The story begins at Spencer and Stephanie’s house. Mom and Dad have left for the weekend, so let the party begin. Throughout the course of the evening, you will meet the characters with their different personalities, their numerous problems and their view about their lives. 

"Dead Serious" will expose us all to the issues of abortion, alcohol, bullying, drugs, religion, cutting, self-esteem, sex and suicide ... issues that all too often we don’t want to talk about or face. Well, hang on to your seat, because this production cuts it wide open. It will make you laugh, cry, hurt, fear and feel ... but most of all, "Dead Serious" will make you take a second look at life.

In the past, the group has toured to Florida, Arkansas, Colorado, Texas, North and South Carolina, Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, New York, Virginia, Georgia, Wisconsin, Nebraska, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Alabama and Ohio.
The group has performed this production for more than 150,000 people and has counseled over 10,000 young people following their performances. Not only has this ministry changed the lives of those teens who participate, but thousands of others who have had the opportunity to see the production.

For information about the various performances in the Hillsboro area, please visit www.mish-inc.com or call (513) 459-7268. Tickets are $8 at the door.

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