On Stage! presents two Mental Health Month events

On Stage!, a recovery program for people with psychiatric disabilities will present its eighth annual production “Shine” on Friday, May 5.

Two shows, a free matinee at 1 p.m for students and people with disabilities and an evening performance at 7 p.m., will be held at Spokane Community College in the Lair Theatre.  Ther performance will showcase the talents of Theatre Extraordinaire, a musical theatre company comprised of mental health consumers and volunteers.

The evening event is open to the public with admission being a $10 tax deductible donation to benefit the expansion of the On Stage! program. “Shine” features a variety of show tunes, a western medley, and a special opening number “Shine on Your Shoes.” No reservations are taken—attendees will get their tickets at the door.

“This performance is an opportunity for the cast to display their talents, abilities and accomplishments they are achieving on the road to recovery,” said Donna Douglass, director of On Stage!. “In addition, this event educates the public through reducing stigma and dispelling the myths that are so often associated with mental illness.”

The Mental Health Resource Fair, open to the public from Noon-5 p.m. will bring together displays by a variety of agencies and organizations serving the mental health community. This fair is sponsored by The Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research and Training (WIMIRT) at WSU Spokane and Spokane Community College.

Many community volunteers will be involved with both events. The evening production will feature guest artists including mime students from the Whitworth Theatre Department and Four the Good Times, a barbershop quartet featuring a father of one of the cast members. Emcee for the evening will be Dr. Rick Hornor, chair of the Whitworth College Theatre Department. The show is co-directed by Donna Douglass and Katherine Crow, both of WIMIRT at WSU Spokane.

On Stage! is a recovery and rehabilitation program and the only one of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. The organization’s mission is to prepare its students for community re-entry though skill building, personal development and an improved quality of life, and to educate the public about mental illness. The program is supported by WIMIRT, the Simanton Foundation, private donations and fees for performances.