Open•Up Has GREAT First Year!

Just about a year ago, MACMH introduced Open•Up, an arts-based community outreach initiative that sought to create an atmosphere in which meaningful conversations about children’s mental health could occur. The year that has elapsed has been an exciting one! In addition to publishing the premiere issue of Open•Up Magazine in early March, we also launched the first production of Open•Up Theatre’s Fidgety Fairy Tales.

About Open•Up Magazine
Since this was our first year, we worried that we wouldn’t receive enough submissions for a 16-page magazine. Well, we needn’t have worried. By the January deadline, we had125 entries from youth all across Minnesota! With so many fine submissions, we had a new set of concerns—how could we possibly limit our magazine to just 16 pages! Again we needn’t have worried—our graphic designer, Matt Jenson, put his creative talents to work and artfully displayed 28 deeply moving pieces.

Presented in 4 parts, the premiere issue of Open•Up features a wide array of essays, poems, and visual arts that impart powerful messages about mental health. Section 1 features the digital art of Andrew Lilja, a young man who has worked with his AD/HD to create thought-provoking images; Section 2 features the cast of “Fidgety Fairy Tales” and includes a wonderful essay by actor Jared Smith about what it means to bring about social change; Section 3 features a wide array of essays, poems, and visual arts that each, in their own way, convey very personal messages about mental health; and Section 4 features the work of Laura Teich, a young woman who is as talented in the literary arts as she is in visual mediums.

We hope you are as moved and inspired as we were by the premiere issue of Open•Up. You are welcome to download the magazine or request a free copy, by sending an e-mail with your name and address to openup@macmh.org. To learn more about the 2009 submission guidelines, visit the Open•Up page at macmh.org.

About Open•Up Theatre
After months of script writing, scoring, costume design, set construction, staging, and rehearsals, "Fidgety Fairy Tales" opened in March 2008 and was enthusiastically received by audiences throughout the Twin Cities at such venues as the Minnesota Children’s Museum, the Mall of America, and the St. Paul Jewish Community Center. Almost all of the free performances were filled to capacity—a couple of venues even invited us to present additional performances! With the goal of portraying positive images of children with mental health disorders, the eight young cast members approached the delicate material with great sensitivity and respect while they maintained all the discipline of their artistry.

To prepare for their onstage roles as well as their roles as ambassadors of children’s mental health, each actor participated in two informative workshops led by MACMH’s Julie Peck. The actors quickly absorbed information about mental health and immediately grasped the importance of reducing stigma. As the rehearsals continued, the cast effortlessly embraced their differences, supported each other through personal challenges, and delighted in the unique talents that they each brought to the show.

As the cast moved from the rehearsal process into performances, they began to realize the power of the information they were sharing. Said one cast member after the first show, “it was like watching a magic spell take hold and spread over the crowd—even the restless teens and rambunctious toddlers settled down to enjoy the show.”

The feedback "Fidgety Fairy Tales" has received has been overwhelmingly positive. A teen from the Fairview Behavioral Services Day Treatment Program (at the U of MN Medical Center) wrote: “It was funny, educational, sad—everything to keep me paying attention.” A parent who attended a performance at the Minnesota Children’s Museum e-mailed, “My child who has AD/HD liked seeing Little Hood save the day.” Several mental health professionals have also commented on the accuracy and honesty of the portrayals of children with mental health disorders. One professional said, “it was like seeing the DSM-IV come to life!”