Saturday, February 25th  -  A special event to benefit the  New Canaan Urgent Assessment Program

Join EXTRA-Ordinary People who are coming together to support mental health awareness in our community.  A special pre-show event (6pm) at the Carriage Barn Arts Center will feature a buffet and hors d’oeuvres, with adult beverages. Look for special silent auction items, too. Then stroll over to the Powerhouse Theatre (8pm) for an engaging production of Ordinary People.  

Town Players is donating 100% of funds raised for tonight's event to the New Canaan Urgent Assessment Program.   

BACKGROUND:  Town Players consulted with New Canaan’s Department of Human Services to better understand the mental health needs of the community and to maximize the impact of its production of Ordinary People. As a result, Town Players proposed to host tonight's event to benefit the New Canaan Urgent Assessment Program (NCUA), a collaboration between the Town of New Canaan and Silver Hill Hospital. The NCUA aims to connect those in urgent need of mental health treatment with a timely, psychiatric assessment and tailored referral for ongoing care.

ORDINARY PEOPLE - by Nancy Gilsenan

OVERVIEW: This play is based on the Oscar-winning “Best Picture” movie starring Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore and Timothy Hutton, by first-time director Robert Redford, and the best-selling novel by Judith Guest. It explores the complex relationships of an ordinary family struggling to heal from an unexpected tragedy.

PLOT: Teenager Conrad Jarrett is wracked with guilt over the death of his older brother Buck from a boating accident. What's left of Conrad's family – his successful, well-intentioned father and his stylish, organized mother – is in jeopardy, as is Conrad himself. They are "ordinary people" coping with the omnipresent human emotions of grief, loss, guilt, anger, anxiety and depression. This powerful play goes to the root of the Jarretts’ relationships, exploring how the family grows apart in its struggle to heal yet ultimately moves forward with hope.  

WHY THIS PLAY?

In presenting this emotional story, we endeavor to contribute to the conversation within our community around the important issue of mental health. Through the unique experience of live theater, we seek to encourage contemplation and conversation, destigmatize mental illness, and increase empathy for those who are struggling. After all, each of us is an ordinary person who, at any time, could experience sudden hardship like the Jarretts. Our shared understanding of this universal dilemma brings us together and reminds us of our humanity.

RAISING AWARENESS:  We also aim to raise awareness of the many wonderful resources New Canaan and our neighboring communities offer for mental health support. We are especially grateful to Dr. Michael Groat, chief clinical officer at Silver Hill Hospital, for advising our cast and crew as they strive to identify with the characters and for hosting talk-backs with our audiences following each Sunday matinee performance.

A comprehensive list of New Canaan’s mental health resources have been compiled by New Canaan Human Services. 

These resources include Kids In Crisis, which, as part of its prevention, counseling and crisis services for children and families throughout southwest Connecticut, provides a “Teen Talk” counselor in Saxe Middle School and New Canaan High School; and New Canaan CARES, which provides responsive educational programs that support and strengthen parenting skills, positive youth development,, and healthy lifestyles.