WHY THIS PROJECT/MISSION?

 

Our nation continues to face a mental health crisis. The stigma surrounding mental illness keeps the general population from fully understanding or being aware of just how critical and widespread the situation is. The rate of suicide has skyrocketed in recent years. There is an overwhelming demand for care, treatment, and assistance for those suffering from mental illness, with too many going entirely undiagnosed. When asked, most surveyed participants and donors affirmed they know someone in their family who suffer from a mental illness or know someone close to them who does. It’s that pervasive. We see a severe lack of funding and support for services, especially in Florida, which ranks at the bottom in the nation.

 

WHO IS LIFELINE PRODUCTIONS?

 

Using the power of the arts, LIFELINE PRODUCTIONS exists to create awareness and produce personal life stories that take you inside the minds of those who struggle, to better understand their invisible demons, and shatter the stigma surrounding mental illness. These stories are about the resiliency of the human spirit. Stories like these provide hope, healing, comfort and a sense of control in their own lives for those who suffer from mental illness. It will also be invaluable to their families and friends, those who professionally care for them, and the civilian population who are unaware of the crisis we face. LIFELINE is achieving this mission by presenting original works of art to as many people as possible across various media platforms: theatre, video/film, and publications. LIFELINE is maximizing the reach of these works of art by developing and nurturing relationships and partnerships with both local and national mental health organizations and other powerful programs that deal with such issues as suicide, end of life/death with dignity, and PTSD, to name just a few. We are using the power of storytelling in both theatre and film to help normalize mental illness. The company is already in discussions with a national non-profit, ACTIVE MINDS, whose mission for the past 18 years has been to address the alarming rate of suicides on college campuses from untreated mental illnesses.

 

WHAT ARE WE SEEKING?

 

LIFELINE PRODUCTIONS began by seeking initial funding of $132,000 in 2022 for our first project. We surpassed that goal in a few short months from caring community foundations and generous private philanthropists. These funds were used to create and produce the company’s first project, Clowns Like Me, a sold out world premiere live theatre performance, performed on the FSU/Asolo Conservatory Campus in the intimate Cook Theatre in May 2023 during National Mental Health Awareness Month. Reviews and testimonials are on the website. Clowns Like Me is a new, one-man play based on the fascinating, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting true story of “Scott,” a 43-year-old professional actor living in Sarasota struggling to escape the suffocating shadows of mental illness. The uniqueness of this first production is that Scott is both the actor and the subject. We are now on to our ACT II goal of $300,000 which will fund the national tour of this first powerful show, hire a small staff, interview and identify our next story, and begin the creative writing of our next production.

 

HOW TO DONATE:

 

If our project and mission personally touches your heart we thank you in advance not only for your generous donation but for your caring and commitment to being a part of meaningful change.

 

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