Erasing the Distance Remounts FINDING PEACE IN THIS HOUSE

Erasing the Distance (ETD) has announced the opening production of our inaugural artistic season: the remount of FINDING PEACE IN THIS HOUSE, directed by ETD Founder/Executive Artistic Director Brighid O'Shaughnessy.

FINDING PEACE IN THIS HOUSE is a play of monologues that explores how a person's "house" can represent many things-a terror-filled home, a body that abandons you, a haunting past, or even a literal prison. Witness the powerful true stories of six people struggling to find peace in their house…despite The Shadows that lurk in the corners.

Featured in the lobby during FINDING PEACE IN THIS HOUSE's theatrical run are six new pieces of mobile artwork commissioned by ETD from artists Meredith Siemsen, Karen Tichy, and Jenn Ross. The artists were instructed to create mobiles representative of the theme "finding peace in this house" and encouraged to interpret the meaning behind the word "house" that felt most meaningful to them.

FINDING PEACE IN THIS HOUSE premiered at the Chicago Cultural Center in June 2011 for a one-night-only performance. The show was the culmination of an exciting partnership between ETD and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP) designed to give future clinicians the chance to experience first-hand the power of storytelling in the healing process.

Under the guidance of Brighid O'Shaughnessy and ETD's Board Vice President, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor Jamie Pekarek Krohn, students worked throughout the Spring 2011 semester conducting, transcribing and editing interviews from individuals affected by various mental health issues. Those interviews ultimately became the six theatrical monologues featured in FINDING PEACE IN THIS HOUSE.

Deepening the partnership between ETD and TCSPP, professors and students recently hosted a series of training workshops for the cast and crew of FINDING PEACE IN THIS HOUSE, and TCSPP representatives will provide resource materials and on-site support for the audience at every performance.

"When working with someone with mental health issues, it can be very easy to see him or her only as a diagnosis or set of symptoms. What's been exciting about this project has been watching future clinicians learn that while diagnoses' are important, people are so much more than them. They are human beings with pasts, with stories, with dreams. Finding Peace in this House reminds us of the universal struggle we all go through to come to terms with the reality of our lives," says ETD Executive Artistic Director Brighid O'Shaughnessy.
FINDING PEACE IN THIS HOUSE marks the opening production of ETD's first-ever artistic season, which concludes in May 2012 with a world premiere production sponsored by Rebecca's Dream featuring five true stories about women impacted by depression and bipolar disorder. The show will be performed at Center on Halsted's Hoover-Leppen Theatre and directed by Genevieve Thompson.

Four Nights Only!
FINDING PEACE IN THIS HOUSE

Jan. 23, 2012: Opening Night Reception and Performance
Drinks and Hors d'Oeuvres at 6:00pm, show at 7:30pm
Tickets: $40

January 24, 30 & 31: Performance Only
7:30pm
Tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at door, $10 students/seniors

Adapted by TCSPP students Carly Bueltel, Hillary Doyle, Janet Gillett, Amelia Justice, Sarah Silva and Heather Tahler

Directed by Brighid O'Shaughnessy (ETD Founder/Executive Artistic Director)

Featuring actors Wes Clark, Jason Economus, Desla Epison, Millicent Hurley, Jennifer Mathews and Jennifer Shine.

Hoover-Leppen Theatre at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL

To purchase tickets, please visit brownpapertickets.com and search "Finding Peace."

Erasing the Distance (ETD) is a not-for-profit arts organization that sheds light on mental health issues through theatre. Founded in 2005, ETD uses the power of performance to disarm stigma, spark dialogue, educate, and promote healing surrounding issues of mental health.

ETD collects true stories from people whose lives have been impacted by mental health issues. We sculpt the stories into theatrical pieces for the stage, which our ensemble of professional actors then perform for schools, faith groups, community organizations, and the general public. Every performance is followed by a moderated, interactive dialogue with the audience that addresses the themes they have just seen.

So far, Erasing the Distance has reached over 30,000 audience members. Recent productions include a custom collaboration with OCD Chicago entitled OCD: Real Stories, Real People and a performance at The Arts Center of Oak Park to help launch the Say It Out Loud campaign. For more information about ETD, please visit www.ErasingTheDistance.org.

Brighid O'Shaughnessy (Director) is the founder and Executive Artistic Director of Erasing the Distance. A sought-after speaker and workshop leader, she has presented at such places as University of Illinois Chicago, DePaul University, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, the Chicago Arts Educator Forum, and the National Active Minds Conference. Brighid holds a Masters of Arts degree from DePaul University, where she was granted the prestigious David O. Justice award for educating communities about mental health in non-traditional and creative ways. Last year, she was named one of 200 leaders in the U.S. making a significant difference in their community by Extra Mile America. She has a B.A. in Theatre from Santa Clara University, where she directed True Colors, a social-issue theatre ensemble. She has studied with Michael Rohd, internationally known activist and artist. Brighid's experience as a director, actor and teacher committed to social change has spanned over 15 years, including time leading the Thresholds Theatre Arts Project and Redmoon's Dramagirls, as well as creating many original productions with Chicago Public School teens based on their own personal stories. She also taught at the Acting Studio Chicago for five years. Brighid is a mental health educator with the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Greater Chicago and is certified in Mental Health First Aid.

Wes Clark (actor) has been acting and directing in Chicago since 2002. Favorite roles include a murderous guitar player in Strange Tree Group's Mr. Spacky: the Man Who Was Continuously Followed by Wolves, Iago in Othello at Dominican University, and Tom in Infamous Commonwealth Theatre's critically acclaimed The Grapes of Wrath. Wes has directed plays and one-acts for the Barrington Area Arts Council, Boxer Rebellion Theater, EP Theater and Bruised Orange Theater Company. He can also often be found playing guitar in Strange Tree Group's house band, The Afterlife.

Jason Economus (actor) is an actor, writer, teacher, director and stand-up comic. Chicago credits include: Shear Madness at the Chicago Theater, J.B. in J.B. with Chicago Fusion Theatre, Oedipus in Oedipus Rex Play with Vintage Theatre Collective. Jason has worked on original pieces with The Building Stage, Buckeye Tree Productions, New Beast Theatre Works, and the Library Theatre. Regionally he has worked with Milwaukee Shakespeare and Door Shakespeare.

Desla Epison's (actor) theater credits include but are not limited to: Howling Wolfe Story as Lilly Barnett and Tribute to Etta James as Etta #2 at Black Ensemble Theater and Home The Musical as Pattie Mae and Shortsighted Black vs. Mammy Louise and Safreeta Mae as Safreeta Mae at ETA Theater. She has taught Improv and Theater at many Charter Schools throughout Chicago with an after-school program she started called "Voice Your Soul."

Millicent Hurley (actor) has worked the past couple of years with Redtwist Theater, appearing as Agnes in A Delicate Balance and Lettice in Lettice and Lovage (Jeff Nominated for Principal Actress). She has appeared many times at Raven Theatre, most notably as Maggie in Dancing at Lughnasa (Jeff Citation for Best Supporting Actress, After Dark Award). Millicent also has had the pleasure of working with Steppenwolf Theatre, Lifeline Theater, Timeline Theatre, Eclipse Theater, About Face Theatre, Chicago Children's Theatre, The Goodman Theatre, Bare Bones Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, Next Theatre, and Prop Theatre.

Jennifer Mathews (actor) is a proud member of Erasing the Distance's artistic ensemble. In addition to touring with ETD, she has performed in the ETD productions Stronger Than Silence: surviving our secrets, The People I Know and What Not To Expect When You're Expecting. A former company member with Infamous Commonwealth Theatre, she appeared in many of their productions, including The Kentucky Cycle (Jeff and After Dark Awards for Production and Ensemble), Betty's Summer Vacation (Jeff nomination, Supporting Actress) and My Thing of Love (Chicago Reader Annual Critics' Pick, Performance). She has also worked with Sideshow Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, Adventure Stage Chicago, Pride Film & Plays, Circle Theatre, Open Eye Productions, Hi-Volt Theatre, and Will Act For Food.

Jennifer Shine's (actor) recent credits include My Fair Lady (Paramount Theatre), Heddatron (Sideshow Theatre Company/Steppenwolf Garage Rep), Main Travelled Roads (Milwaukee Chamber Theatre). Jennifer graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI with a degree in Theatre and Peace & Justice studies.

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