Chryssie Whitehead's IN MY OWN LITTLE CORNER Will Film Performance at The Riverside Theatre

An encore performance and live capture will take place of Broadway, film, and television actress Chryssie Whitehead's In My Own Little Corner: My Moods, My Mom & Me, a striking and deeply personal, but widely relatable autobiographical play with music that chronicles the actress and her late mother's shared stories of addressing (and not addressing) mental illness. Directed by Bryan Knowlton, with musical direction by Nick Wilders, the filmed performance will take place on Sunday, March 16th at 3:00PM at The Riverside Theatre. The running time is 70 minutes, followed by a brief break and a 30-minute post-show talk back (which will also be filmed). Audience members are invited to stay for a celebration featuring DJ Marla after the show.

In My Own Little Corner: My Moods, My Mom & Me, unravels Veteran stage and film actress, Chryssie Whitehead's diagnosis with bipolar disorder at the age of 38, while simultaneously making peace with the passing of her mother. Parts comedy, tragedy, and love story, it's a strikingly honest look at the generational patterns and behaviors interwoven between a mother and her daughter as they lived out vastly different lives with regards to their mental health. IMOLC seeks to stop the stigma behind the still rarely discussed disorder and normalize conversations around mental health, so people feel less shocked or ashamed upon diagnosis or when someone they love is diagnosed. After each performance, Chryssie and a licensed mental health professional do a talkback unpacking the show and her diagnosis to give the audience a chance to debrief in a safe and affirming space. The goal of the filmed live capture is to reach a much broader audience than just theater goers alone to spread the show's mission to the masses. 

“My mother never received the mental health care she so desperately needed, and because of that, her life was cut short. So, this show is for her – and the filming of it is for all of us,” says Whitehead.” “Her story serves as a parable—a powerful reminder of what happens when mental health is neglected and the profound transformation that occurs when it is prioritized. In both instances, the course of our lives, and those of future generations, are forever altered. The stigma surrounding these conversations no longer has a place in our world. We're moving this mission forward through the power of musical theatre, creating space for honesty, vulnerability, and healing.”

In My Own Little Corner features musicians Nick Wilders (piano), Tiffany Weiss & Sam Gray (violins), Kayla Williams (Viola), Kristine Kruta (cello), Ari Goldbloom-Helzner (keyboard), Sarah Favinger (Bass), Jared Mathis (drums) and Rick Snell (guitar) - along with voiceover artists Paul Alexander Nolan (Slave Play, Water for Elephants, Parade) and Monica M. Wemitt (Liza Steppin' Out starring Liza Minnelli at Radio City Music Hall, Hello Dolly starring Carol Channing on Broadway, and Madame de la Grande Bouche in the national tour of Beauty and the Beast).
 
The production's creative team includes Ken Cerniglia (dramaturgy), Paige Seber (lighting design), Jmonet Hill (stage management), Lauren Barette (associate producer & company manager), Margaret Siller (legal representation), Erin Spears Ledford (associate director), and Ari Goldbloom-Helzner (associate MD and copyist), Innoruptiv (branding) and Dan Demello (public relations). Filming of the performance is by Joy Kilpatrick and RFI, lead by Scott Robinson.   
In My Own Little Corner had its first reading at Ripley Grier on February 19, 2022 and a second reading on July 22, 2022. Their debut performance was then performed at Riverside Theatre in November of that same year as a fundraiser for the Entertainment Community Fund. It went on to play a critically acclaimed performance at the Abrons Arts Center in March 2024. It has since gone on to play a seven-city tour across the United States. The next step is to acquire a distribution deal with an education platform or network such as Kanopy, Hooplah, or PBS to continue growing the conversation around mental health. 
            
Chryssie Whitehead, originally from South Carolina, has worked for 25 years in the entertainment industry on Broadway, Film & Television. Chryssie began her career as a dancer for the Radio City Rockettes right out of high school and continued her education at AMDA College and Conservatory for the Performing Arts in NYC. She made her Broadway debut in the revival of A Chorus Line as Kristine and is featured landing the role in the hit documentary Every Little Step. Additional Broadway credits include: Kitty/Velma US in Chicago (understudy, performed) and Kathy in Company (Lincoln Center with Neal Patrick Harris). Film and Television work include: West Side Story (Steven Spielberg), Grey's Anatomy, Switched at Birth, Castle, The Mentalist, Warehouse 13, Private Practice, Grimm and the romantic comedy with Raven Simone, Revenge of the Bridesmaids. She has joyfully crossed over to the creative side, directing and choreographing professionally, as well as educational productions ofChicago, A Chorus Line, Rent, All Shook Up, Into the Woods, Shrek, Grease, and more! Chryssie is the co-founder with Best Friend of 24 years, Alexis Carra, with their performing arts mentoring & coaching company, Broadway Arts Community for teens to professionals. www.ChryssieWhitehead.com