Town Players Of New Canaan Partners With Community To Raise Awareness

NEW CANAAN, CT — Town Players of New Canaan, a nonprofit volunteer community theatre, plans to raise awareness of mental health with its upcoming production of "Ordinary People."

Based on the Oscar-winning movie starring Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore and Timothy Hutton, the play tells an emotional and heartwarming story of an ordinary family struggling to heal from an unexpected tragedy.

The show opens Feb. 17 and runs through March 5 at the Powerhouse Theatre in Waveny Park, according to a news release provided by Town Players of New Canaan. Performances will be held Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

"Given the unfortunate rise in emotional distress and mental illness due to the [coronavirus crisis], we want to contribute to the important conversation about mental health," Director Deborah Burke said in a news release. "Through the unique experience of live theatre, we hope our performance of Ordinary People reduces the stigma of talking about mental health and increases awareness of the mental health resources in our community."

Multiple organizations within New Canaan and the surrounding area are supporting the New Canaan Town Players in this effort. Of special note, the cast and crew of Ordinary People thank Dr. Michael Groat, chief clinical officer at Silver Hill Hospital, a nationally recognized psychiatric hospital, for serving as their advisor and helping them portray their characters with empathy and authenticity.

Dr. Groat will also lead talkbacks immediately following each Sunday matinee, providing an opportunity for the audience to join a discussion about the performance with him, Deborah Burke and the cast, according to the town players.

Additionally, the town players consulted with New Canaan's Department of Human Services to better understand the mental health needs of the community and to maximize the impact of its "Ordinary People" production.

As a result, the town players are hosting a benefit Feb. 25 at the Carriage Barn Arts Center in support of the New Canaan Urgent Assessment Program, a collaboration between the town of New Canaan and Silver Hill Hospital. Tickets to the event include admission to that evening's performance of Ordinary People.

According to the town players, the NCUA program aims to connect those in urgent need of mental health treatment with a timely, psychiatric assessment and tailored referral for ongoing care. The program requires zero out-of-pocket costs from New Canaan residents for the assessment.

"Mental health is a critical issue in our community, especially since COVID-19 subjected nearly all of us to periods of isolation due to quarantine," Bethany Zaro, director of New Canaan Human Services, said in a news release. "For many people, isolation can trigger feelings of anxiety and depression. We are therefore immensely grateful to [New Canaan Town Players] for helping us raise awareness of the Urgent Assessment Program, as well as our town's many other resources for mental health support."

A comprehensive list of New Canaan's mental health resources will be featured in the playbill for "Ordinary People."

Ticket sales for the Feb. 25 benefit will open to the general public Feb. 12. All proceeds from ticket sales and donations for the Feb. 25 show will benefit the New Canaan Urgent Assessment Program.

More information, including how to purchase show tickets, is available here and at TPNC.org\special-events.