I’ve spent most of my life feeling sick and tired of the stigma attached to having a mental illness. As an outlet for this rage, I turned to the two things I love most: theatre and creative writing. I spent a few months writing and rewriting a one-act play that I hoped to use as a vehicle to spread understanding and awareness. The completion of this project was soon followed by a production offer from my friend's high school drama teacher. She and I spent months communicating through email and exchanging our ideas and suggestions. This past Friday, I finally had the privilege of seeing my work performed for the first time. Although the production was far from perfect, I was completely blown away.

Participating in this type of collaborative work is a highly spiritual experience. I felt somewhat like Victor Frankenstein as his monster roared to life. I couldn’t believe I had created something so significant. However, I was inspired instead of terrified. When ideas are exchanged, amazing things can happen. I almost did not recognize my own work up on stage. The director cast actors I never would have pictured as my characters. The actors made choices I never envisioned when writing the script. Seeing this made me realize all over again how, when working with a team, ideas become something bigger and better than you ever would have imagined.

After the production, the actors sat down on the edge of the stage for a Q&A session with me. It was clear that my work influenced them to think about mental illness in a different light. A few of them also gave me suggestions that made me want to sit down and rethink certain sections of what I had written and the message I was trying to convey.

When I first had the idea for my play, I never imagined that I would actually take it this far. Now, I see my ideas as more than just ideas. They are sparks of creation and agents of change. And with the help of my fellow artists, I will use them to conquer the world.

For further inquiries about this project, contact margaretdelucia97@gmail.com