Victoria Premiere Screening of Madness, Masks and Miracles
followed by a discussion
Sunday, December 11, 2011 6:45 p.m.
Truth Centre, 1201 Fort Street, Victoria, BC
Join June Swadron, Victoria writer, actor, playwright, psychotherapist and author of Re-Write Your Life, in an evening of exploring the link between creative expression and wellness for people living with a mental illness.
The evening begins with Swadron sharing the story behind the writing and producing of the play Madness, Masks and Miracles, co-written with Victoria Maxwell and co-produced with Hub Productions and Lee Clarke. The talk will be followed by a screening of the play.
“This play is about the types of madness or dark nights of the soul most people go through,” says Swadron. “But it’s not just about mental illness, it includes the masks all of us wear to avoid being criticized, ostracized and marginalized. Ultimately, it’s about shared struggles, compassion and the miracles that let us shed our masks and be who we really are.”
The play was first performed and filmed at the World Assembly for Mental Health in Vancouver. Dr. Michael Meyers, president of the Canadian Psychiatric Association called Madness, Masks and Miracles “a must-see for every Canadian.” He praised it for showing “what it’s like to have a mental illness…. the anguish and confusion… and the denial in co-workers and family.. . .This production is not cynical or depressing. It is moving, inspiring and intensely evocative.”
Following the screening, Swadron will share her vision for the establishment of a facility in the downtown core of Victoria where people with mental health challenges can take part in an array of creative and expressive arts and healing modalities: The Academy for Creative & Healing Arts. Swadron envisions a downtown Victoria centre where people can “work and play” with trained, caring staff to unleash their creative potential. “People’s lives can be transformed as they move from mental illness to mental health,” says Swadron. This Academy project is “…about people accessing a special place within where serenity, love, courage and truth reside, where we begin to know our true spirit and begin to heal.”
The evening will end with a chance for people to informally share their own experience and creative ideas during a reception.
