Drug addiction hits close to home for many people, and an upcoming Augusta Players production highlights its effects while at the same time giving hope for its prevention.
“This is something people don’t want to talk about,” said Roy Lewis, who is directing the production of “Painless: The Opioid Musical” Nov. 3-5 at the Kroc Center.
Most of the local performances will be during the school day for middle and high school students with a public show at 7 p.m. Nov. 5.
According to the musical’s website “’Painless: The Opioid Musical’ was born from real stories. In 2018, members of Face Addiction Now (formerly Families Against Narcotics) shared personal experiences that were transformed into powerful songs at the heart of the show. Written by Jacob Ryan Smith, with contributions from Peter Scattini and Noah Kieserman, the musical premiered in 2019 and reached students in 2022.”
While the show combines drama and music, the performance is not merely entertainment.
“Grounded in real stories of substance use disorder and recovery, Painless: The Opioid Musical is a free program that uses the arts to help students build empathy, reduce stigma, and better understand the real-world impact of opioids on individuals, families, and communities. Painless offers an impactful approach to prevention that encourages reflection, dialogue, and informed decision-making,” the musical’s website said.
It’s designed to be a talking point for students. Lewis said teachers will be provided with resources to help with the conversation. The show itself is only about 45 minutes with local professionals on hand to answer questions.
“It will be presented free. It really is an educational tool,” said Lewis.
The Augusta Players are presenting the work in cooperation with The Augusta Pain & Opioid Addiction Initiative.
While the performance is free, tickets are recommended for the evening performance and are available here. For more information, call (706) 726-4707.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards, is the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award and was named best local writer by readers of Augusta Magazine in 2024 and 2025. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here
