This Is My Brave Announces Partnership With Napa Valley College Performing Arts

This Is My Brave, Inc. (TIMB), the national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the stigma surrounding mental illness through storytelling, returns to Napa Valley to focus on young people ages 14-24. Auditions for the 2020 Napa Valley College Performing Arts presents This Is My Brave performance will take place November 17-19, 2019. The resulting performances will be presented on February 8, 2020 at Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center and February 9 at St Helena High School Performing Arts Center. Performances will feature area young people who live with mental health challenges or substance use disorders, telling their stories through spoken word, poetry, music, dance, and more.

"We are excited to return to the Napa Valley with this new focus," said Jennifer Marshall TIMB Executive Director and Co-Founder. "For six years, This Is My Brave has been shining a light on mental illness and the brave people who live and thrive with it all across the U.S. We recently launched high school and college programs and I am so pleased to extend these efforts to the West Coast and help young people talk openly about mental health issues."

"I am overjoyed that Napa Valley College Theater Arts is partnering with This Is My Brave," commented Jennifer King, Director of Performance Arts at Napa Valley College. "We have been programming the Emergence Festival for New Work at NVC for the past two years, and this seemed like the perfect centerpiece for the 2020 Emergence Festival in February. Personally, I am inspired to be working as one of the producers for this show."

Napa & St. Helena Auditions

Napa Area: Sunday, November 17, 3pm-6pm

Location: Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center, 2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy, Napa, CA 94558

Napa Area: Monday, November 18, 5:30pm-9pm

Location: Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center, 2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy, Napa, CA 94558

St. Helena Area: Tuesday, November 19, 5:30pm-9pm

Location: Grace Episcopal Church, 1314 Spring St, St Helena, CA 94574

Register to Audition:https://thisismybrave.org/event/auditions-this-is-my-brave-napavalley/ (parental consent form required for those under 18)

TIMB invites area teens, college students, and young people between the ages of 14-24 to audition and share their personal stories about living with mental illness and/or substance use. No performing arts experience is necessary and personal essays, original music, poetry, and dance are welcome. Video submissions are also welcome; email Kristine@thisismybrave.org.

One in six American youth between the ages of 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year (National Institute of Mental Health), yet the topic continues to carry shame. This Is My Brave aims to end this stigma and silence by celebrating the stories of teens and young adults living successful lives with mental health and substance use challenges. Since its first show in 2014 in Arlington, VA, This Is My Brave: The Show has featured more than 750 people sharing their stories in 64 performances across the United States and in Australia.

Each performance is produced by a local producer or partner organization, with support from TIMB. Auditions can encompass perspectives on any form of mental illness or substance use including depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, schizophrenia, PTSD, and more. Stories can be shared via spoken word essay, original poetry, comedy or original music; caregivers and loved ones are also encouraged to audition. Pieces should be limited to five minutes.

More Audition Information: https://thisismybrave.org/auditions/

Audition Tips: https://thisismybrave.org/blog/audition-tips