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BREAKING OUR SILENCE

 Storytelling for Mental Health

A Performance and Celebration

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Hosted by the Ithaca High School Chorale 

Coordinated by Rachel Lampert

Kulp Auditorium, Ithaca High School

May 21, 2022, 7:30 p.m.

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PRESENTERS & SPONSORS

 

Story House Ithaca (producer and presenter) is a new organization that brings people together to share, study, create, and enjoy stories in all their forms. It is built on the idea that communities are stronger when people get to know each other better. Story House Ithaca is a project of the nonprofit Center for Transformative Action. More at storyhouseithaca.org.

 

The Sophie Fund (sponsor) supports mental health initiatives aiding young people in greater Ithaca and Tompkins County. It supports programs and projects; raises awareness and fights the stigma around mental illness and treatment; advances a “zero suicide” ethos in the community; and serves as a community advocate for young people struggling with mental illness. More at thesophiefund.org.


NAMI Finger Lakes (sponsor) is the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the country’s largest mental health advocacy group. It provides support for families affected by mental illness, works to educate the community, and advocates for support at the local, state, and federal levels. More at namifingerlakes.org.

 

Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County (sponsor) strengthens the arts in our area by providing services and resources for artists and arts groups, and by leading collaboration among the arts, government, education, business, and the community at large. More at artspartner.org.

 

Civic Ensemble (partner) creates theater by, with, and for the community, and engages audiences in dialogue about pressing questions and concerns. The ReEntry Theatre Program is a supportive, creative community for people who have experienced incarceration or court involvement. It aims to raise awareness about and shift the narrative around the realities of the criminal justice system and the people involved. More at civicensemble.org.

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PROGRAM

 

We Are 

Words and music by Ysaye M. Barnwell

Ithaca High School Chorale

Kristin Zaryski, Director

 

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Welcome

Lesley Greene and Jonathan Miller

Co-Directors, Story House Ithaca

 

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Snap! (excerpt)

Regi Carpenter

Storyteller

 

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Release through Movement Explorations (demonstration)

Megan Omohundro, Kathy Lucas, and Sophie Trowbridge

 

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Poems

Lorelli Cervantes & Malcolm Greenspun

Ithaca High School students

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Please Stay

Music by Jake Runestad

Lyrics adapted from tweets using #IKeptLiving –

expressions of hope from those who battle depression and chose to live

Ithaca High School Chorale

Kristin Zaryski, Director

Anna Hummel, Collaborative Pianist

 

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Remarks

Deb Grantham

Board President, NAMI Finger Lakes

 

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In the Depths

Song "Swim Good" by Frank Ocean, Waynne Nugent, and Kevin Risto

Performed by Dermot Kennedy

Indira White, Dancer

Video by Mee Ae (Mandy) Caughey

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Delia Divided (excerpt)

by Judy Tate and the ReEntry Theatre Program

Presented by Civic Ensemble

Directed by Gabriella da Silva Carr

Featuring: 

Leroy Barrett – Paranoia

Uraina Bellamy – OCD

Jo-Louis Hallback – Depression

Amy Heffron – PTSD

Emonie Raphael – ADHD

Carley Robinson – Delia

 

Introduced by Julia Taylor (Producer)

 

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Bridge Over Troubled Water

Words and music by Paul Simon

Arranged by Kirby Shaw

Ithaca High School Chorale

Kristin Zaryski, Director

Anna Hummel, Collaborative Pianist

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TONIGHT’S PERFORMERS

 

Ithaca High School Chorale

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SOPRANO

 

Anna Bjerken

Lorelli Cervantes

Amelia Colbdorf

Veery Evans

Corinne Ford

Aled Hern

Sabetha Hersini

Izzy Leyden-Githler

Ellie Kaden

Alice Knipe

Rowena Lloyd

Emma Loiacono

Nina Lyons

Flossie Martell-Glennon

Rosemary Mead

Trinity Odom-Reed

Tori Payne

Ananya Prasad

Ezri Rubenstein-Miller

Skye Steuteville

Caitlin Strong

Annalise Thompson

Gigi Weislogel

Anneke Wittink

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ALTO

 

Rinchen Aaya

Bella Antes

Frieda Bernstein

Lizzie Bonassar

Tatiana Byrd

Rose Chandler

Elle Decatur

Noemi Donenfeld

Emma Duell

Nomi Falk

Fiona Glenn-Keough

Cecilia Grace-Martin

Malcolm Greenspun

Addie Houle-Hitz

Ella Kramer

Hope Machlin

Gio McBride

Tayler McEver

Anya Packard

Bella Pauldine

Maggie Schneider 

Lila Travers

Anais Vanek-Raphaelidis

Clare Weislogel

Nora Wing

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TENOR

 

Rob Chatrchyan 

Sam DeLisa 

Emile Rebillard 

Caleb Robinson

Abe Sachs 

Sam Sachs

Charlie Shanton

Summer Steinhagen

Dove Williams

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BASS

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Niko Fontanez-Vargas

Forrest Kingsley

Andrew Putnam

Will Shanton 

Skye Slattery

Obie Smolenski

Elden VanCamp-Ingiosi

Noa Yamaguchi

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Leroy Barrett has been a member of the ReEntry Theatre Program since 2017. He is a father of three, a son, brother, and a third-generation B-Boy (breakdancer).

 

Uraina Bellamy is a proud mama of six beautiful children and one amazing grandson. She is a masters student in photojournalism at Syracuse University. She has worked with College Initiative Upstate (CIU) and is involved with Pros at Mental Health of Ithaca.

 

Regi Carpenter is an award-winning storyteller, author, and singer who uses the power of stories to help others deal with grief, loss, and mental health issues. Regi has toured her solo shows and workshops in theaters, festivals, and schools, nationally and internationally. 

 

Mee Ae (Mandy) Caughey is a dancer and choreographer with experience in many different styles of dance.  She is passionate about advocacy for mental health, and enjoys filming dancers. 

 

Gabriella da Silva Carr is a proud queer latinx interdisciplinary artist who has been on staff at Civic Ensemble since 2015. Her work has been seen at the Hangar Theatre, Kitchen Theatre Company, White Plains Performing Arts Center, Ithaca College, Cornell University, and Off-Broadway. Gabriella also runs a private voice and acting studio for young people. 

 

Deb Grantham is president of the board of NAMI Finger Lakes. She became the primary caregiver of her sister, Liz, after their father became unable to care for her. She found NAMI FL through an employee assistance program and has been involved with the group ever since. 

 

Lesley Greene is a sound designer, composer, video editor, playwright, and director. She worked for many years at the Kitchen Theatre Company and is co-founder and co-organizer of Porchfest, a festival that began in Ithaca in 2007 and now takes place in more than 150 cities across North America. 

 

Jo-Louis Hallback has been rocking with the ReEntry Theatre program for a couple of years now and it has been a real learning experience, with a mix of social justice, art, and real stories from real people.

 

Amy Heffron is a mother of three who has been a member of The Re-Entry Theatre Program since 2017. She has appeared in many theater works both in person and online. She is Outreach Facilitator for College Initiative Upstate (CIU) and a member of Criminal Justice Alternatives to Incarceration (CJATI).

 

Rachel Lampert is a playwright, director, and choreographer. She served as the artistic director at the Kitchen Theatre Company from 1997 to 2017. In 2015, she founded Fitz&Startz Productions, which produces plays for younger audiences. 

 

Kathy Lucas is a dancer, Pilates instructor, and unconventional fitness coach. She has a deep understanding of wellness, persistence, and restorative healing, and is committed to building a community focused on authentic, creative, and empowering experiences of wellbeing and vitality for all.

 

Jonathan Miller is a journalist, writer, and radio producer whose work has taken him to more than 20 countries. He serves on the board of Ithaca City of Asylum, an all-volunteer group built on three of the things he values most: generosity, hospitality, and right to creative expression. 

 

Megan Omohundro is a professional choreographer, dancer, and educator. She launched her career by founding the hip-hop dance troupe “Battle Breakers.” She loves teaching, practicing capoeira, and engaging the community with movement that heals and refreshes the soul. 

 

Emonie Raphael is 24. She enjoys acting, singing, and reading.

 

Carley Robinson is a theater practitioner and community worker from Upstate New York. She has worked with Civic Ensemble for three years, and is so excited to bring Delia Divided to life onstage!

 

Julia Taylor is the Executive Director of Civic Ensemble, and over the past year has co-directed Civic’s productions of Indigo and Steppin’ Into My Shoes. Julia is deeply grateful to everyone whose stories and experiences helped shape Delia Divided, and to you all for joining us in sharing these stories!

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Sophie Trowbridge is a lifelong dancer and lover of movement. Tap and contemporary jazz dance styles are her first loves. Outside of dance she is a veterinarian and conservation research analyst. She is deeply committed to dance and movement as a method for healing and mental health wellness.

 

Indira White was born in the Dominican Republic, where her first language was dance. She is a modern-contemporary mover and choreographer who is currently working on a NYS DanceForce Choreographers’ Initiative project exploring intersections of modern and flamenco dance.

 

Kristin Zaryski is the director of Choral/Vocal Music at Ithaca High School, where she teaches choral ensembles, group voice lessons, and AP Music Theory. She finds joy helping students find confidence building music literacy skills, encouraging creativity, and fostering a community where all students feel that they can contribute and grow.

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THANKS TO OUR CREW

 

Steve Brookhouse

lighting designer and technical director

 

Helen Kuhar

stage manager

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