Addict

This frightening portrayal of the horrors of drug and alcohol abuse shows children and young adults yielding to the almost irresistible lure of drugs—and suffering the miserable consequences. Addict is an eye-opener for those who have not been exposed to drugs and hopefully an eye-opener for those who have. The young person's view of "it can't happen to me" becomes less clear after experiencing this convincingly powerful drama. Most anti-drug plays turn off the very people that need the message; Addict doesn't. Addict and Juvie, both by Jerome McDonough, are among the most produced plays in the United States. McDonough gives explicit instructions on allowable cutting of the script to maintain the full force of the horror created and not defeat the purpose of the play. He also urges updating all street terms to keep the show from becoming an old-fashioned comedy. The play opens "No one needs to suffer alone. No living person is beyond help. And now, Addict."