Four Wexford secondary schools will play host to a unique Wexford Mental Health project this month.
Supported by Wexford Mental Health Association, the play “A Face in the Crowd” which tells the true stories of what it is like to live with a Mental Illness through darkness, hope and recovery.
The play has already had a successful run in the Wexford Arts Centre with four sold out shows. Now in a stripped-down version it has been adapted for Secondary school students…. As well as seeing the play, the students will then be invited to partake in a post play workshop, hosted by project coordinator Paula Lowney Occupational Therapist and Mairead Connaughton OT and Niall Ó Muirí retired Mental Health Nurse.
This unique project titled Discover Recover theatre project which started back in February 2015, was the brain child of Paula Lowney an OT currently working in the Wexford Mental Health Services. It initially started with a story telling group, where people with a lived experience of Mental Health Difficulties were invited along to tell their story and share their experience of the trials and tribulations of living with and recovering from a mental health challenge…Which cumulated in the development of a script and the production of the play “A Face in the crowd”. The journey from storytelling to stage at all times has been in close partnership with our story tellers to ensure the project stayed true to the their cause, to increase acceptance and understanding towards mental health difficulties and support the realisation that it is nothing to be ashamed or afraid of.
Colaiste Brid, Enniscorthy host the play in Bridgetown on the 17thColaiste Abainn, Adamstown on 22nd and finally the FCJ Bunclody on 24th.
The play has since been adapted for secondary school TY Students. The aim being to bring about an awareness of the students own Mental Health
