St. Joe’s musical shines light on mental health

The SJU Theatre Company put on a production of The Pulitzer Prize winning musical “Next to Normal,” a rock-based show about a mother and her struggle with bipolar disorder.

The 14-member cast, including two professional guest artists, ended the show’s two-week run at the Bluett Theater on Oct. 20.

“Next to Normal” depicted how a family deals with the treatment of the mother’s psychiatric disorder, a subject the director, Renee Dobson, M.F.A., said she wants to use to start a conversation about mental illness, especially on campus.

“I felt like it was a good time to shed light on the subject,” Dobson said. “In the last couple of years, there has been so much information and research that has come out about the prevalence of mental illness in college students.”

Over 50 percent of college students reported feeling hopeless in the last three months according to a 2016 American College Health Association study. Almost 40 percent reported feeling so depressed that it was difficult for them to function.

The widespread depression on college campuses could be due to social media use, the immense pressure on teenagers and the ability to be in constant contact with family and friends from home, according to Jenna DiLossi, Ph.D., professor of psychology.

“If [students] can constantly text and Snapchat their high school friends, it inhibits their ability to make new friends and step out of their comfort zone,” DiLossi said.

To deepen the discussion about mental health on college campuses, the SJU Theatre Company invited psychology experts, cast members, priests and students who have struggled with mental illness to be available after shows so the audience could ask questions.

Materials and resources were made available at these audience talkback panels.

“I hope it gives [the audience] more understanding and compassion for people,” said Daniel Ruff, S.J., one of the organizers of the panel. “Not just people that struggle with mental health issues, but their family, friends and the people around them. We are hoping to remove any stigma that may be lingering about seeking treatment and help.”

There is a direct correlation between the levels of stigma found on college campuses and the likelihood of students reaching out for help, according to data from the 2017 Healthy Minds Study from the University of Michigan.

Using theatre as a form of education is a common Jesuit educational tradition, Ruff said.

“We were known in the first centuries of our existence in our schools for using theatre as an educational tool,” Ruff said. “But also, as one that appeals to people’s whole person, their emotions.”

Caroline Hamilton ’21 said that she heard the auditorium collectively gasp throughout the musical.

“I think [Next to Normal] will help normalize mental illness because it shows a side of it that is not often talked about,” Hamilton said.

Dobson said she hopes people feel more comfortable reaching out for help after seeing the show.

“I hope that the show is able to encourage at least one person to seek some sort of help and not be afraid to discuss it,” Dobson said.