Y-Haven Theatre Project

The Y-Haven Theatre Project partners CPT Teaching Artists with residents of Y-Haven, the Cleveland YMCA’s transitional home and comprehensive treatment center for formerly homeless men in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Since 1998, CPT and Y-Haven have annually collaborated to create an original theatre production, performed by the residents and based on their personal experiences. Every year, the original work is presented to enthusiastic full houses at CPT, and is toured to Cleveland area homeless shelters, recovery centers, and college campuses. The Y-Haven Theatre Project supports newly learned skills for sober and independent living and honors the unique and important perspective men in recovery bring to the Cleveland community.

CPT artist instructors collect a series of quotes from patricipant's journals that anecdotally measure the impact of the program on the men:

"When I was 9, my brother died. When I was 16, I got high and drunk. When I was 17, I was homeless. When I was 20, I came to recovery."

"I would like to build my own business. A place for homeless children and adults. A business that has good treatment classes, job training and parenting lessons. Somewhere when we can all get together. I just want to help others get out of the misery because I have been there."

"Two years ago we buried my uncle as a direct result of this disease and I just feel so blessed after all the drugs I did to be still living today"

"I am digging for inner peace"

"All my life I have been digging for self understanding as well as self awareness. Because there have been times in my life when I've been unable to identify what I am feeling as well as why I am feeling a certain way, sad, angry, frustrated, etc"

For more information on the The Y-Haven Project, please contact Chris Seibert, Education Director at 216.631.2727 x 201 or via email at cseibert@cptonline.org.