"It's just a play, but Secret in the Toy Room may save a child's life," Donna Sanders wrote in a review in the Milwaukee Journal. "While many discussions aimed at children about sexual abuse are too vague for them to understand, this play is very specific. It is also very direct in telling them what they can do to get help to stop the abuse." The audience-participation play was written on consignment for the Portage County, Wis., Council on Human Sexuality. The group had been searching for an effective play about child abuse and incest that could be shown in schools. Unable to find one, they called on Mrs. Zawadsky, a well-known author and producer of plays for children's theatre. By the time it was published, the play had been performed more than 40 times for Wisconsin public and parochial schools. Because of the skill and tact with which Pat Zawadsky treats her subject, "there has not been one complaint about its content and, more important, many abused children have come forward as a result of seeing the play," the author said.

The musical is about Randy and Mandy, magical toys who are brought to life by toymakers Mr. and Mrs. B. Nice. Searching for very special owners for these very special toys, Mr. and Mrs. B. Nice choose Billy and Susie. It was an unfortunate choice. When Randy and Mandy reach their new playroom, they find the other toys sad and frightened, and they soon learn—from personal experience—that the secret of the toy room is physical and sexual abuse. Billie and Susie coerced all the toys into promising that they would never tell. But Mandy feels that bad promises are to be thrown away just like bad food or bad pictures. They turn to Mr. and Mrs. B. Nice as people they can trust, and the understanding and loving toymakers explain that help can be found for the whole family so they can all live a happy life filled with real love.

Is there a need for such a play? Lon Newman, CESA 7 project director, said that estimates on sexual abuse of children are that up to 25 per cent of all female children and up to 10 per cent of all male children are victims of sexual abuse. Douglas Henderson, a child psychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, said that "Where we have been least successful, in terms of explaining the dangers to children, is in warning them that they can be victimized by members of their own family, by babysitters, and by neighbors." Newman said that more than 75 per cent of all offenders are known to and trusted by the children. "From sixth grade on till I was a junior in high school I was an abused child by a foster mother who could not control her anger," a Wisconsin man wrote in a letter to his newspaper, in which he told how he asked for help from a high school counselor who did nothing. "I am writing this as a result of a program called Secret in the Toy Room," he concluded. "My hat is off to the people who put on this fine play."

One-act musical; Minimal set for rapid set changes or touring. Colorful costumes and catchy musical tunes. Flexible about omitting scenes or Question and Answer sessions.

Others by Zawadsky: The Boy Who Stole the Fourth of July, Toys in the Haunted Castle