As a performance artist I strive to create work which speaks directly to its audience. It must be fully understood that the subjects dealt within this play such as race, abuse or the complexity of gender and sexuality identity are not meant to be shocking or controversial. Likewise they are not meant to foster understanding from those of varying philosophies. Racists and homophobes are typically not the demographic drawn to performance art therefore I don’t write plays for them. In fact I prefer for my performances to be seen by those who like me are sick of plays about oppressed minorities and depressed victims. The stories in The Happiness of Schizophrenia for an important journey; the journey of acceptance. It is about accepting what is, what has been and realizing that although we only have a small amount of control over it we must strive to create what will be.

The Happiness of Schizophrenia was first work shopped on various occasions while I attended Illinois State University the years of 1994 -97 it received it’s first performance in Chicago at The Abbie Hoffman Died for Our Sins Theater Festival in 2002. During the festival I met and became a member of Dream Theater. Later that year we produced The Happiness of Schizophrenia as part of an evening of one acts. Since then it has been performed at Single-File Solo Performance Festival and ETC Experimental Theater Festival. Last year it was also performed at the University of Ohio’s Performance Art Symposium where I was a guest artist along with Holly Hughes and Barbara T. Smith.

The Happiness of Schizophrenia is an exploration of the line between sanity and insanity. It is a confession of my fear that true happiness may lie on the side of the insane. It is a collection of stories inspired by events in my life which could/ should have driven me crazy (or did they?). It is an acceptance of the frivolity of sanity. It intertwines movement, poetry, and song into a collage which represents who I am and how I got here. The Happiness of Schizophrenia also explores how society sometimes confuses looking at things differently with being mentally unstable especially when it comes to things the people don’t understand. Among these things are the relationship between an artist and their work and the strange obsessions artists sometimes develop with ideas or concepts. This piece was created to be shared with creative minded people who have sometimes been misunderstood. It is especially dedicated to those who at times have questioned there own sanity. It is a celebration of the artist and a declaration that there is also a thin line between madness and Genius and when others call us crazy it may be their inability to recognize true brilliance.

I have heard nothing but wonderful things about the New York International Fringe Festival. Two directors who I have worked with on several occasions participated in the 2003 festival [John Musial director of Wax and Wayne and Frank Pullen director of Le Livre Blanc and possible director of The Happiness of Schizophrenia if accepted and his schedule permits]. They both encouraged me to apply the following year. However, I was accepted to an internship at Milwaukee Repertory Theater in 2004 and last year I was working at the Utah Shakespearean Festival. However this year I can wait no longer I would want nothing more than to bring my show to New York. I believe the audience of the New York International Fringe festival is one that would be receptive to my work.