The Ruffin Theatre will host two performances this week of “Go Ask Alice,” a stage adaptation of the diary-style novel chronicling one teenager’s descent into drug addiction, as part of a community effort centered on awareness, family support and access to local resources.
Performances are set for Thursday, July 9, and Friday, July 10, both at 7 p.m. No tickets are required. Instead, organizers are accepting monetary and canned food donations at the door.
Kat Stephens is directing the production. Julia Bogard stars as Alice Aberdeen, the teenage protagonist whose diary entries drive the story’s narrative. Dana Bogard plays Alice’s mother, Helen Aberdeen, and Ben Hawkins plays her father, Douglas Aberdeen. Penelope Gomer and Forrest Pannell play Alice’s siblings, Alexandria and Tim.
The supporting cast includes Maysen Litton as Chris Vetrano, Hannah Burlett as Jill Peters, Sophia Hawkins as Jan Fujara, Bella Quinn as Joe Driggs and Reagan Anderson as Gloria. Anderson Sartain takes on dual roles as Bill Thompson and Joel Reems.
“Go Ask Alice,” first published in 1971, is presented as the diary of an anonymous teenage girl whose experimentation with drugs spirals into addiction and family conflict. The book’s origins have long been disputed; it is widely attributed to youth counselor Beatrice Sparks rather than a real diarist. Regardless of its authorship, the story has remained a fixture of drug-awareness programming for more than five decades.
Beyond the performances, organizers are pairing the show with a resource fair for families affected by addiction and mental health struggles. Monetary donations collected at the door will go to the Tipton County Carl Perkins Center. Canned goods will be split between Bread of Life Food Pantry and Hope Church Food Pantry.
Several local organizations are expected on site both nights. The Covington Police Department will have collection boxes available for old or unused prescription medications. Professional Care Services will be on hand to discuss mental health options, and Tipton Prevents will provide resources focused on drug prevention.
The production runs two nights only, Thursday and Friday, at the Ruffin Theatre.
