The Happiness of Schizophrenia

2010-08-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is the best review I've ever had in my life please read it and come check out the show... Get Happy

2006-08-28T17:22:00.000-07:00

2006-08-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

There are still a few shows left at fringe NYC

THUR 8/17 @6
SAT 8/19 @8
FRI 8/25 @7
sAT 8/26 @3

The show is performed at
The Players Loft
ADDRESS: 115 MacDougal Street
CROSS STREETS: Bleecker and West 3rd
SUBWAY: ACEBDFV to West 4th, 1 to Christopher St/Sheridan Square
THUR 8/17 6 – 7:50
SAT 8/19 8 – 9:50

The show is performed at
The Players Loft
ADDRESS: 115 MacDougal Street
CROSS STREETS: Bleecker and West 3rd
SUBWAY: ACEBDFV to West 4th, 1 to Christopher St/Sheridan Square

2006-08-17T10:00:00.002-07:00

This is the best review I've ever had in my life please read it and come check out the show... Get Happy!

2006-08-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is the best review I've ever had in my life please read it and come check out the show... NYtheatre.com

2006-08-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

So all the fundraisers have been a success and now there's nothing more but to head on out to NYC. So far Andy Albright, Eric Schnuelle, and frank Pullen(Artistic Director of The Journeymen Theate company) are all on board to help me out with the show but we're still looking for others. Feel free to write us at thehappinessofschizophrenia@gmail.com

2006-08-02T16:55:00.000-07:00

Anthony Wills Jr. performed, choreographed, wrote and directed in Chicago for over seven years. Memorable productions there include Journeymen’s Jeff Nominated Master Harold… and the boys, Running with Scissors’ The Man who Fell in Love with the Moon, and The Hypocrites’ Balm in Gilead.

Anthony is a member of American Theatre Company’s the Relatives and has appeared in ATC’s productions of Catch-22, Working and multiple staged readings and cabaret shows.

In Milwaukee he has performed with Milwuakee Rep, First Stage Children’s Theatre and Intandem. Regional credits include Pennsylvania Centre Stage and Utah Shakespearean Festival. Anthony is the author of several performance art pieces. The Reincarnation of Eddie, The Happiness of Schizophrenia, Lot’s Wife (created with members of Local Infinities Visual Theater) and What (?) have all been performed at festivals in and around the Chicago area.

Technically Anthony designed costumes for Journeymen's productions of Othello, The Eight Reindeer Monologues and Jeff recommended Lilies. He was also the scenic artist for Marie-Arrchie's Jeff recommended production of Hot L Baltimore.

Other theatre companies he's had the pleasure of working with include Aboutface, Apple Tree, Bailiwick, Black Ensemble, Clock, Dream Theater, Eta, The House, the Hypocrites, Lifeline, Lookingglass, Mary-Aarchie, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, National Pastime, Noble Fool, Nomenil, Northlight, Prop, Runamuk, Steppenwolf, and Strawdog.

Dance Companies he's worked with include Illinois Dance Theatre, Irreverance, Dance>Detour, Annette Hawkins Dance Ensemble and he served as the Artistic Director of the CCC Dance Ensemble.

As a visual artist Anthony’s work has appeared at several galleries and art fairs and he has curated shows for Glenwood Art Alliance and EXP Creative Art Ensemble.

2006-08-02T16:22:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-08-02T15:30:00.000-07:00

More info on the show

2006-06-26T17:57:00.001-07:00

On the EDGE
a fundraiser for the Happiness of Schizophrenia
featuring

Excerpts frm David London's Art of Dreams

Comfort Creatures: an installation by Billie Roberts

and

an appearance by C.T. Ballentine

Friday, July 14th @7:30
Spareroom
2416 W. North Ave

2006-06-26T17:57:00.000-07:00

Anthony Wills Jr. Presents

Garbage: One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

at

BucketWorks

1319 N. Martin Luther King Jr.

(Mon-Fri 5-9, Sat and Sun 12-5)

with

a special sneak preview of

The Happiness of Schizophrenia
July 7th 7:30p.m. & July 8th 3: 30p.m.

Suggested Donation: $15.

For more info call

773-879-8669

or stop by Bucketworks

Chicago based artist, Anthony Wills Jr., is proud to present a a special gallery showing of new works entitled Garbage: One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

July 1st -13th at Bucketworks 1319 N. Martin Luther King Jr. There will also be a sneak preview of his one-man show, The Happiness of Schizophrenia Friday July 7th @7:30 and Sat. July 8th @3:30. The Happiness of Schizophrenia, written, choreographed, and performed by Anthony Wills Jr., will be a part of the 10th annual New York International Fringe Festival later this year. It is the story of a man who is afraid of losing his sanity. He is also afraid that he may be happier if he just allows himself to go crazy. It is a collage of dance and stories from the actor's life that almost pushed him over the edge.

The Happiness of Schizophrenia has been performed at various festivals including PAC/Edge, Single File festival of solo performance, and most recently at the University of Ohio's Performance Art Symposium where Anthony joined Holly Hughes and Barbara T. Smith as guest artists. As an actor he has performed with such companies as Milwaukee Repertory Theater, First Stage, Intandem, Pennsylvania Centre Stage, Steppenwolf, Utah Shakespearean Festival and many others. The show also features an original sound design by emerging sound designer Matthew Gibney of Arizona Theatre Company.

Contains adult themes including sexuality, and sexual exploration. Most suited for 18+

2006-06-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

OnThe Edge:

a fundraiser for The Happiness of Schizophrenia featuring performances by David London and "Billie". The night will end with a performance of The Happiness of Schizophrenia

This will be an evening of entertainment exploring the lines between Sanity and insanity, Dreams and Reality, Life and death.

Friday the 14th at Spare Room 2416 W. North Ave. at 7:30pm

$10 suggested donation

2006-06-05T15:59:00.000-07:00

There will be a Chicago Fundraiser for the happiness of Schizophrenia! We're still working on the dates but it will most likely be the second Saturday in July at Spare room MOre details to come...

2006-05-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

The First Real Post....

After worrying for several months I am on my way to NYC! Still trying to find additional help for the show but so far all is well. We had our first fundraiser at This Is It in Milwaukee which raised over two-hundred dollars, which isn't bad considering that it was totally last minute. We are currently looking for venues for a Chicago fundraiser and for remounts of the show in Chicago Nd Milwaukee. Keep your fingers crossed!

2006-05-23T18:22:00.000-07:00

2006-05-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

2006-05-09T19:45:00.000-07:00

Should this be my press pic for the show what do you think?