Long Lost John
DRAMA THERAPY
Long Lost John: Drama Therapy is a unique therapeutic program offered online and free-of-charge to anyone coping with the loss of a loved one.
John Lennon & Paul McCartney became world famous for their music. But their shared history as bereaved youth is practically unknown. "Long Lost John" tells the story of John & Paul, two teenagers who share a love of 1950's rock 'n' roll, and bond over their mutual experience of losing a parent.
Long Lost John: Drama Therapy utilizes the story of John & Paul's early friendship to illustrate proven tools and techniques we can all use to heal and grow in the wake of loss.
The Play
Long Lost John is a play about two boyhood friends, each of whom has lost their mother. The two boys grow up playing music and talking about life in 1950’s Liverpool, England. "Long Lost John" reveals how the shared experience of loss cemented the friendship of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
Long Lost John does a deep dive into Lennon & McCartney’s childhood experience with loss and bereavement. The play was incubated at The Creative Visions Foundation, where author Eddie Zareh was part of their Creative Activists Program. At CVF the play took on its mission to be of service to bereaved children and families who have lost a loved one.
Long Lost John: A Lennon Family Story, an early version of the play, made its debut in 2018 at The Broadway Bound Theater Festival, where it took the prize for the best attended and highest grossing production. Since then the play has been rewritten and renamed Long Lost John.
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Long Lost John: Drama Therapy reflects the latest incarnation. The play is presented in four parts and accompanied by a Drama Therapy program designed to support kids and families dealing with loss.
Drama Therapy
Drama therapy uses dramatic texts as well as other theatrical processes including improv and role playing to achieve traditional therapeutic goals. In the context of this project, online participants will build a community of trust and compassion by engaging in storytelling. Improvisational theater exercises will help participants reflect on their own experiences of loss by exploring and embodying moments or characters from the play.
Because Lennon & McCartney are widely beloved, their story is naturally of interest to a wide audience. Because their story is rich with themes of friendship, loss and resilience, it is a natural conversation-starter for people dealing with these issues.
Four 30 minute "episodes" of the play will be presented and available online. A 90 minute drama therapy session based on the episode will be lead by a Drama Therapist and a Clinical Social Worker.
The program will be activated by COPE Foundation, a non-profit that supports bereaved youth and families on Long Island. The online program will be offered to 12 participants. This program is being offered free of charge, however COPE is encouraged to solicit donations based on this programming.
Program Activities are being developed by Mary Clohan, a Drama Therapy Master's Degree candidate at New York University and Certified End-of-Life Doula. Michelle Graff, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker will oversee the program and discussion.
With Thanks to Our Partners and Sponsors
The COPE Foundation is a nonprofit grief and healing organization dedicated to helping parents and families living with the loss of a child.
Long Lost John: Drama Therapy is fiscally sponsored by Creative Visions, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that supports creative activists, those that use the arts and media to ignite social change.