The goals of this project are twofold. First, we will provide a forum where local middle school, high school, and college students can share their experiences with bulling in the school system. Second, we will combine these stories to create a reader's theater-style performance piece which can then be presented to students, parents, educators, administrators, and the greater Central Kentucky community. By using actors to interpret students' experiences and words, we hope to create an emotionally powerful piece that will raise awareness about the prevalence and impact of bullying in schools. In addition, the original stories will be accessible online.

Additional information:

What is reader's theater?

In a reader's theater, performers sit on stools or chairs, and read from scripts on music stands. Performers interpret the text by adding expression and characterization, and may interact with and react to one another during the reading, but there is no memorization or stage blocking. This method of performance is simple and straightforward, which allows the text to be emphasized and provides a flexible method of presentation with minimal cost.

How will the stories be integrated into a script?

Portions of the students' stories will be combined together according to common themes and messages in order to create a dialog between performers. The script will be written for five or six “readers” who will take turns sharing the stories, reacting to one another, and responding with similar experiences. Other than a few lines that will serve as a transition or to connect different stories, the grand majority of the script will use the students' own words.

Who can perform this script?

We will make the script available to anyone that wishes to perform it. The script can involve experienced and inexperienced actors and actresses of any age.

What about issues of privacy?

We've created an e-mail address ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) where students can send their stories so that students can submit anonymously. In addition, we will change the names of the people that are talked about in the stories so that the individuals that are talked about and represented in the performance piece cannot be directly identified.

Please email your story to Lexington Fairness at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  and call Family Counseling Service, Inc at (859) 233-0033