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CONTACT: Chloe Woodward, chloew@taproottheatre.org

Taproot Theatre tours its bullying-prevention plays to 35 schools and over 15,000 students during National Bullying Prevention Month this October

Taproot Theatre’s Road Company tours four educational plays for the 2025/26 school year

SEATTLE, WA — October 1, 2025 — Today marks the first day of National Bullying Prevention Month, “a month long event to prevent childhood bullying and promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion” (PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center). During October, Taproot Theatre’s Road Company will tour its bullying prevention plays to 35 schools across Washington state. This school year, Taproot Theatre is touring four educational plays: ROCKS!, PETS!, Don’t Read the Comments, and Story of an Off-Brand Band.

ROCKS!, which returns from last year, and PETS!, a brand-new play also written by local playwright Melanie Godsey, are both geared toward K–5 students. Each play focuses on the 3 R’s of Bullying Prevention: Recognize, Refuse, and Report. This month, over 15,000 students will learn this valuable tool to take action against bullying behavior. Road Company actors teach students how to recognize when bullying is happening, refuse to be bullied when possible, and report bullying to a trusted adult.

At each performance, schools receive a 45-minute professional performance, a 15-minute actor-led talkback, and teacher’s guides containing play details, pre- and post-show discussion questions, and tips on handling bullying reports. All play scripts are guided by Second Step® curriculum, a program which aims to help educators create supportive learning environments.

Since 1985, Taproot Theatre has been touring educational theatre, changing the lives of students and their families and teachers. Andrea Austin, teacher and assembly coordinator at Suquamish Elementary School, said, “Since we've had your actors come many times in the past years, we've seen more kids act as upstanders and more kids feeling confident enough to stand up and use the 3 R's when faced with bullying.”

About ROCKS!

By Melanie Godsey

S’mores, stargazing, swimming; Jamie’s family promises him that Camp Obsidian is a hidden gem. When he makes friends with Casey on the first day, he knows this camp could rock. But when Casey’s jealousy spreads like poison ivy, Jamie gets caught between a rock and a hard place. Is Jamie really being bullied? Or is it all a harmless prank? The other campers and Jasper, the down-to-earth counselor, will leave no stone unturned to make it the best summer ever.

ROCKS! explores bullying prevention, how to be an upstander, celebrating differences, and empathy.
For grades K–5.

About PETS!

By Melanie Godsey

It’s a tail-wagging time at Pet School where Biscuit the pup and all their furry and feathered friends learn to sit, stay, and help a human in need. When things get ruff for Biscuit’s best human friend, Corey, it’s time to fetch help. A once-close friendship has gone to the dogs, and the bus stop becomes a bullying zone. Using every paws-itively clever trick from Pet School, Biscuit will stop at nothing to help Corey and teach the other kids that being an upstander is the best trick of all.

PETS! explores bully prevention, turning bystanders into upstanders, overcoming failure, and teamwork.
For grades K–5.

About Don’t Read the Comments

By Joy McCullough

Cory is the new kid and they’re trying everything they can to keep a low profile—but their classmates aren’t. Fixated on likes, comments, and followers, a group of students at Cory’s new school are determined to go viral. But what starts as an innocent game for fame quickly spirals into something more serious. Cory and their classmates must confront cyber-bullying, online trolls, and toxic comments as they navigate the digital world.

Don’t Read the Comments explores empathy, respect in digital spaces, and personal/social responsibility online.
For grades 6–12.

About Story of an Off-Brand Band

By Michelle Lang-Raymond

Everyone’s ready to rock and roll to the sound of the American dream—except one. When the members of The Preamble go on tour, the band is living the dream, except that the guitarist is treated differently. If each of them truly matters, then this band has a decision to make. In this poignant metaphor for Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, the band must figure out how and if the show will go on.

Story of an Off-Brand Band explores personal/social responsibility, defining allyship, respecting others, and celebrating differences.
For grades 6–12.

For more information about Taproot Theatre school touring programs and to book a performance, visit taproottheatre.org/touring/school or email touring@taproottheatre.org.

About Taproot Theatre Company’s Road Company
Since 1985, Taproot Theatre’s Road Company has been bringing professional-level theatre directly to schools across Washington state. Serving more than 75,000 students in grades K–12 annually, the Road Company performs dynamic bullying prevention plays, designed to educate, empower, and inspire.

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