Mental Health Players Take Center Stage

The Mental Health Players performed for an entertained and engaged audience at the on Thursday afternoon.

Comprising six actors and aided by facilitator Fran Mendelowitz, the acting company performed three vignettes. The vignettes revolve around the challenges of transitional phases in life, mental illnesses and the challenges of intergenerational relationships. At the end of each scene there is an open question and answer session between the audience and the characters on stage allowing for an interactive dialogue.

The forum allows the audience to better understand issues that they may not know about, and at the same time, offer new solutions to those who can relate to the problems being acted out on stage.

Actors Lloyd Abrams, a Player for eight years, and Frank Bowers, a Player for three years, are also actively involved in writing the scripts for the vignettes they perform.

"We're all living longer lives," Bowers said on stage. "It's important we discuss these issues we all face."

Ros Marcus and Audrey Schiller are two other members of The Mental Health Players and are also East Meadow residents. Marcus, who is now retired, worked in the mental health care field and said she's always loved to act. She has been acting with the company for 14 years now, and recruited Schiller to join eight years ago.

"We get a sense of happiness because we're able to do something for someone else," said Schiller. "You get a good feeling because of that. You get a high."

Before each vignette, facilitator Fran Mendelowitz sets the scene, explaining the characters and their various points of view. At the end of the vignette, Mendelowitz serves as a moderator during the open forum. The players stay in character from the vignette, answering questions and arguing their positions. The audience seemed to enjoy the forums the most.

"The actors' responses are things we can relate to," said Joyce Simon, an audience member. "Their acting is excellent, in particular, during the question and answer period where they stay in character so perfectly."

At Thursday's performance, The Players performed three vignettes: a family's challenge of caring for an adult son with mental illnesses, a youth's lack of respect for the elderly and addiction to technology.

"It's real and they're views of something you know about, from either yourself or someone else, all the time," said Hortey Loeb after the performance. "It's good for others to see those family relationships."

The actors get a lot out of the performances as well.

"The Mental Health Players brought me out and made me a bigger person," said actor Schiller. "I'm able to look at my audience and talk. That to me is very good. I thought I was shy, but I guess I'm not."