Last spring (2001) I had a crazy idea; I was going to write a musical. When I first wrote "My Mania" I never expected to share it with anyone else, it was a personal endeavor and something that was so important and therapeutic to me; that I couldn't imagine that it would ever be interesting to other people. It was also my first attempt at a full-length manuscript, so I figured it was probably not very good, let alone ready for an actual production. It was such a difficult barrier for me to leap over and open myself up to, I was held back by a fear of rejection. Then one day I decided to share it with my roommate, then my suitemates, then my family, then my friends, and then the Virginia Tech Theatre Department Workshop Committee... I didn't see my work grow; instead I saw it explode. I feel so fortunate to be able to share this work in such a nuturing environment, and to have somthing that's so close to me be exciting to other people, especially my family, my mentors and my peers. I can relate me fear of being vunerable through my writing to the way one must suffer the pain of manic-depression alone; it really becomes a choice to let the other people around you into your world. Manic-depression is not an easy subject to talk about to even the people who are closest to you, or admit that something is wrong with the way you are, becuase even you don't understand why. It is one of the forgotten diseases of our society, because it's sufferers' show to everyone aroud them that on the outside nothing is wrong. Becasue of this, main-depression may go untreated for a long period of time, misdiagnosed, and sometimes not discovered until it is too late. My hope for this show is taht it can only continue to grow and inform people, to teach them compassion and tell the victims of mental diseases that they are not alone. But I realize this all cannot happen in one night, so my hope for tonight is for you to sit back, relax, maybe sing along, maybe tap your feet, maybe laugh, maybe cry, interact, feel something yuo may have never felt before, or ever will feel again, and simply enjoy our show!
--Gabrielle "Bri" Laskey
Director / Playwright of "My Mania"
Note from The Choreographer
When Bri asked me to be involved in "My Mania", I immediately jumped at the chance to debut such an emotionally charged show. It had been since show choir in high school since I'd had the opportunity to choreograph. However, while in college, I had not experienced any position other than performer. Never did I think I had enough creativity to choreograph twenty-two numbers. I want to thank Amy Kiser SO much for being my right leg in this whole process. Without her, the movement and mood of the show would be incomplete. Through working with my peers in a position of "authority", I learned so much about the rehearsal process and exactly how much work a cast puts into a musical production. There were some rough spots on the road to opening this fascinating show, but we formed a family. We spent close to thirty hours a week together during the past two months. I want to thank the cast, Bri, Amy, John, my roommates, the Vet girls {Erin}, and all of my close friends for listening to me talk incessantly about the show, watch me swinging over chairs in the living room, trying to choreograph, and listening to the same snippet of a song for an eternity so I could make up a sixty-four count dance break! I leave you with this: listen to the stories of these characters, allow yourself to be transported back to your teenage years, feel the music inside you and let the mania get into your soul, remember the silly dance steps you did at prom, and enjoy "My Mania".
--Lisa Brake
Choreographer, “My Mania”
