'Bullycide' play tells victims' stories

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'THE BULLYCIDE PROJECT’

- Tuesday, 6 p.m., Lars Hockstad Auditorium, 301 7th St., Traverse City.

- Admission: $10, all proceeds benefit TCAPS anti-bullying projects.

- Purchase tickets through Treat Tickets, www.treatickets.com or at the door.

- More information: Dale Chilcote at (231) 846-0096, www.thebullycideproject.org and www.seeithearitstopit.org.

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Boon residents PK and Tom Harrison lost their 16-year-old son, Alex, when tormenting by peers drove him to suicide. Alex's story is one of 11 told in "The Bullycide Project," a play presented Tuesday at Lars Hockstad Auditorium in Traverse City. Special to the Record-Eagle/Carol South

May 20, 2012

'Bullycide' play tells victims' stories

By Carol South Special to the Record-Eagle The Record Eagle Sun May 20, 2012, 07:14 AM EDT

TRAVERSE CITY — Viciously targeted, excluded and harassed by his peers, Alex Harrison's pain spiraled.

On February 7, 2009, Alex, 16, couldn't take it anymore.

The Cadillac High School sophomore shot himself. He left behind a devastated family, their lives ripped apart.

Despite loving parents, close friends, a girlfriend, Boy Scouts and athletics, relentless bullying drove the brilliant student over the edge.

Tom and PK Harrison's only child was gone, a victim of bullycide.

"It started in middle school," PK Harrison said. "A few days into middle school, he said, 'Mom, I found out it is not cool to be smart.'"

Alex's story is one of 11 brought to life by "The Bullycide Project," a play to be presented Tuesday evening at Lars Hockstad Auditorium. The production is based on the book, "Bullycide in America," that shares writings of mothers who lost children to bullying. Brenda High compiled those stories into a book.

Lori Thompson, artistic director of "The Bullycide Project," is a Fenton High School drama instructor. She was inspired to tell the stories of students bullied to death, a message meant to both impact tormentors and aid victims.

"I wish we could get this into every school in the state," PK Harrison said.

"The Bullycide Project" has been performed nearly three dozen times around the state, as well as in Texas, Canada and Washington, D.C. The cast includes high school and college students and adults.

The play goes beyond death and delves into each young person's story. Thompson and cast members met with families and conducted in-depth interviews to bring each character to life.

"Two different times, we had 20 to 21 cast members up here and nothing was off-limits," said PK Harrison, who has been vocal about Alex's experiences with bullying, an effort to prevent future tragedies. "It was raw, a lot of tears and a lot of emotion."

Dale Chilcote, a close family friend who works in Traverse City, decided to bring the drama to the area. He wanted to both honor Alex, who used to baby-sit Chilcote's children, and help others.

"It's more about the life that they led and how they were treated at school, on the playground or on the street," said Chilcote of "The Bullycide Project."

Chilcote, a Traverse City Rotary Club member, connected with Traverse City Area Public Schools administrators. He volunteered to do all the work staging "The Bullycide Project." His lone request was that the district embrace the idea and help with some publicity.

"I made a decision to bring it here and it was $5,000 and I didn't have a dime to start with," he said.

Chilcote found sponsors to underwrite the local performance. All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit TCAPS' anti-bullying projects.

In addition to helping students being bullied, the play can spark understanding for family members, teachers and administrators.

"Most of us did not face the kind of stressors our kids face today; it never stops with texting and Facebook and social media," said Chilcote, noting that bullied students often are deliberately excluded from friendships and activities.