“FOUND LIVES” by Kristina Armetta and Michael Wehrli.

A NEW PLAY THAT EXPLORES THE INNER LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA AND THEIR CAREGIVERS IN THEIR OWN WORDS

New Moon’s Artistic Director Michael Wehrli teamed up with theatre & music artist and writer Kristina Armetta to weave together a fascinating play that explores the inner lives, struggles, and triumphs of people with schizophrenia and their family members.  Every word in the piece was taken, by permission, from hundreds of pages of internet blogs (appearing on the Schizophrenia.com website) that were written over a period of years by people with schizophrenia or by their caregivers.

“Found Lives” gives the public a rare glimpse into the experiences and daily life of people with schizophrenia.  Everything you will hear in the play are the exact words of the bloggers.  Several characters are composites of two or more people, and the only alterations in the text are changes in names and places to enhance the privacy of the bloggers.

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness based in faulty brain functioning which affects 1% of the population worldwide, yet is poorly understood by the public.  Most media reports of schizophrenia revolve around rare sensational events which makes it difficult for the public to truly understand the experience of individuals with schizophrenia and their needs. “Found Lives” is designed to enhance public understanding of the human side of this illness and reduce the stigma which is associated with schizophrenia.

“Found Lives” was presented as a staged reading by local actors directed by Michael Wehrli. The cast included: Sara Kennedy Adams, Peter Armetta, Brynn Baron, Mike Borgstrom, Jessica Brand, Alyson Ayn Osborn, and Pamela Stringer. Performances were given on June 18 & 25, 2009 at OHSU Old Library Auditorium.

NAMI Multnomah, the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in collaboration with New Moon Productions, presented “Found Lives” on October 16 at Artists Repertory Theatre, 1516 Alder Street, in Portland.  A question-and-answer session with a psychiatrist, the playwrights and cast followed the performance. Proceeds from this fundraising event went towards supporting NAMI’s many programs.  The staged reading was directed by Michael Wehrli, and the cast included Sara Kennedy Adams, Brynn Baron, Mike Borgstrom, Jessica Brand, Cheryl Green, Donovan Snyder, and Pamela Stringer.

——————WHAT THEATRE-GOERS ARE SAYING ABOUT “FOUND LIVES”:——————

Amazing is all I can say. This was a wonderful glimpse into the world of schizophrenia. The questions and responses from audience members were astounding.

I want to tell you how deeply moved I was by the play. The stories of these brave people speak to the human condition and are relevant to all of us, no matter where we fall on the spectrum of “mental health.”

As a psychiatrist, I found it to be incredibly moving and powerful. It reminded me of how deeply and profoundly this disorder affects patients and their families, and of the breadth of experiences and symptoms that exist under the umbrella of schizophrenia.

I would recommend FOUND LIVES not just to those interested in mental illness, but to anyone interested in better understanding the full scope of human experience.

Thank you for this experience, I am forever changed.

As a medical student who has learned just a little about psychiatric disorders, I feel that the play was just educational enough for those not familiar with the disease. But that did not take away from the humanistic, artistic purpose of the reading. I look forward to seeing more.

How much I enjoyed “Found Lives.” It was really a wonderful way to honor people with schizophrenia and their families… The reading was poignant, entertaining, and educational. There was something really powerful about hearing the bloggers’ words coming through experienced stage actors.

We learned so much about the experiences of people and family members dealing with schizophrenia. Thank you for offering the question and answer session afterwards. The performers were incredible…..the way the stories were interwoven, and having the voices talking during many of the monologues was so impactful.

Everyone needs to see Found Lives! It will help normalize experiences for people who are directly dealing with the struggles of schizophrenia, as well as help decrease the stigma often associated with it.

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About NAMI:

NAMI - Multnomah is the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. Founded 25 years ago, its mission is to improve the quality of life for people with mental illness and their families through support, education, and advocacy. NAMI Volunteers teach free classes for persons with mental illness and their families, lead weekly support groups, and provide information on resources to family members and individuals coping with mental illness.

Free programs include: Family-to-Family, a 12-week course for family members whose loved one has a mental illness; Peer-to-Peer, nine-week course in which peer mentors coach individuals with mental illness who want to establish and maintain wellness; and In Our Own Voice which offers a powerful presentation, suitable for service organizations and workgroups, in which presenters share their own personal stories of illness and recovery.

NAMI Volunteers conduct or co-sponsor eight weekly support groups for persons with anxiety; schizophrenia; depression; bi-polar disorder; dual diagnoses of mental illness and addiction; as well as family members of adults with mental illness and parents of youngsters with mental illness or addiction.

If you would like more information about this project, please contact New Moon Productions.