Right Before I Go at Charlotte's Off-Broadway

Charlotte's Off-Broadway and Mental Health Reimagined Present Right Before I Go

Charlotte’s Off-Broadway and Mental Health Reimagined unite theatre, survivor portraiture, participatory art and audience support for 4 performances during National Suicide Prevention Month.

Charlotte, NC – For immediate release – Charlotte’s Off-Broadway (COB) will present Right Before I Go September 10–13, 2026, in collaboration with Mental Health Reimagined (MHR) transforming the theatre into an immersive experience of remembrance, survival and connection. Written by acclaimed television writer Stan Zimmerman (The Golden Girls, Roseanne, and Gilmore Girls), the show will run for four performances at

COB’s Black Box Theatre at The VAPA Center, 731 N. College Street, Charlotte. Tickets are $25 and are available August 3 at https://www.charlottesoffbroadway.com. A portion of the proceeds from this show will benefit suicide prevention programs in Mecklenburg County.

Inspired by the loss of a close friend to suicide, Zimmerman created Right Before I Go, a powerful play that gives voice to veterans, bullied youth, members of the LGBTQ+ community, public figures, people who died by suicide, and survivors of suicide attempts.

For this special staged reading, Charlotte's Off-Broadway assembled a talented cast of performers to give voice to the play, while Mental Health Reimagined brought together a network of mental health professionals, advocates, and community partners to support the production with compassion, connection, and care. Featuring Lucca Amortegui, Jonathan Ewart, Roman Lawrence, Melissa Stevens Steele, Gina Stewart, and Rahman Williams, the cast bring their own lived experience to the subject matter, and a shared commitment to reducing stigma, fostering empathy, and inspiring conversations that can save lives.

Amy L. Campbell, healing artist and creator of The Bridges Project, is serving as the production's director. Campbell brings her advocacy, artistry and lived experience with suicide ideation and her own attempt, “it is my intention to create a safe audience experience that allows purpose and pain to co-exist, to build bridges across the human experience.”

Performance Schedule:

Thursday, September 10, Friday, September 11, Saturday, September 12 at 7:30 PM

Sunday, September 13 at 2:00 PM

Talk-Backs will be held after each performance.

For tickets and more information, visit Charlotte'sOffBroadway.com or follow COB on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

Content Advisory

Right Before I Go contains adult language and themes and includes frank discussions of suicide and mental health. Viewer discretion is advised.

The Full Experience

COB and MHR have designed a layered experience so audiences can encounter the play’s difficult material

within a visible network of art, connection and community care. The experience includes:

· Four performances, September 10–13, 2026, at COB’s Black Box Theatre at The VAPA Center

· A facilitated community Talk-Back with licensed mental health professionals following every performance

· Four 10-foot string towers from The Bridges Project surrounding the audience

· Large-scale portraits of suicide-attempt survivors by acclaimed Charlotte photographer Jeff Cravotta lining the theatre walls and surrounding the play’s words with visible stories of survival, recovery, advocacy and purpose

· The Bridges Project and Threads to Hope in the lobby, inviting visitors to leave messages of hope and weave their stories into community looms

· Free mental health and wellness information from Mind the Gap, Mental Health America of Central Carolinas, Finding Inspiration Foundation, Veterans Bridge Home, Breaking Down Stigma, and many more.

About Mental Health Reimagined

Mental Health Reimagined builds emotional infrastructure through art, story and connection—creating opportunities for people and communities to cultivate hope, belonging, resilience and mental wellness. Through The Bridges Project and Threads to Hope, MHR transforms individual stories and simple acts of connection into visible, community-built symbols of hope.

About Charlotte’s Off-Broadway

Charlotte’s Off-Broadway produces professional, home-grown theatre in Charlotte and operates an intimate Black Box performance space at The VAPA Center. Through locally created and produced work, COB brings Charlotte artists and audiences together around bold, immediate theatrical experiences.

Media Contact:

Cindy Ballaro Cindyballaro@yahoo.com 704-763-8846

Anne Lambert, Producing Artistic Director, Charlotte’s Off-Broadway charlottesoffbroadway@gmail.com

704-589-9146

Amy L. Campbell. Founder and Creative Director, Mental Health Reimagined mentalhealthreimaginednc@gmail.com

704-608-1868