Testimonials
| ||
Several cast members and musicians from Greendale High School's acclaimed production of NOR•MAL
Eric Christiansen (center bottom) flanked by Robyn Hussa (left) and Yvonne Adrian (Right) (Photo courtesy of Robert Lange, October, 2006)
The theater even in high schools should be a place where critical issues can be explored and presented so the audience and performers can learn from the writer's experience. Theater has a role in being on the edge to push all of us to a better place in our lives.
~Dr. William Hughes, Superintendent of Schools, Greendale, Wisconsin
NOR•MAL went so much further than the typical high school production. It truly transformed a majority of the school for a period of time. Classroom teachers, student support personnel, administrators, health professionals, theater professionals, parents, and a large amount of our students came together not only around a top-notch production and show, but also to support each other while learning more about ourselves through the very real issues of eating disorders and family dysfunction that many of our youth face. From a building administrator's point of view, this is what high school theater should be all about: great performances and music and a chance for more of the school to become involved in the production -- all through real-life content that challenges and educates both the actors and the audience.
~Steve Lodes, Principal at Greendale High School
I think NOR•MAL is the most powerful high school performance I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. I think it goes beyond eating disorders and looks at families that are dealing with crisis. Knowing people that have suffered through similar situations, the songs/lyrics capture exactly how they said they felt, especially "I'm good, I'm bad." I just wanted to thank you for bring this production to our school and making it possible to educate students and adults on a topic that is frequently overlooked or disregarded. It has meant a lot to me in many different ways.
~Jessica L. Talsky, Associate Principal/Activities Director, GHS
Robyn,
Thank you for the updates on your performance at Tosa East. I am not at all surprised to read about such success. I would like to share with you my family's experience after seeing your performance.
I have suspected for a while now that my daughter had a problem w/ food. Her pediatrician gave me the name of a local eating disorder specialist . I took this woman's card home. My daughter INSISTED I was making something out of nothing. She was amazingly convincing! I desperately wanted what she said to be true . .things started getting 'better' (In front of me) she appeared to be eating more) so I threw out the card and decided it WAS me that was making a big deal out of nothing.
The afternoon prior to your performance, my daughter and I had an appointment w./ her therapist. This was the session we were going to approacher her about her issues with food. She sat very pleasantly and DENIED ANY problems with eating. I can't say I was totally surprised. I was frustrated, but not surprised. Well, that appointment went kinda late and and I was afraid we had missed your show at East. We live around the corner from the school so on the way home I asked if she might like to go see a play about a family struggling with parents who think their child has an eating disorder? She reluctantly agreed. Thankfully the show did not start on time and we had time to get in sit down and relax a moment before it began.
As the show began, I was holding hands w/ my daughter . . she the content became closer to home for my daughter she began to pull away, first with her hand,then in her chair, she had physically pulled as far from me as possible. She refused to speak with me and she was ANGRY.
The show ended and the cast appeared for a 'talk back' and lo' and behold the local expert you had just happened to have was the SAME doctor our pediatrician had given us the month prior. This was clearly a sign unto me. I managed to get my daughter to walk up on stage to meet Dr Lees. She was SO kind and had such a welcoming and gentle spirit it was wonderful. Unfortunately my daughter was SO angry she was not able to appreciate this wonderful woman. Dr Lees informed me due to my daughter's age (13yrs) she would have to see Dr Lee's partner. I called the next morning, Dr Gray is every bit as wonderful as Dr Lee was.
My daughter is now in intensive treatment. My fears were confirmed - she has a sserious problem with eating and I was praised for geting her in at 'the perfect time', In completing the intensive intake paperwork for the dr, I came to grips with my own eating disorder and I have begun treatment w/ Dr Less.
The few hours we sat and watched NORMAL was a truly life changing experience for me and my family. I now have hope that BOTH my daughter and I can develop and maintain a healthy relationship with food and RE-establish OUR relationship with each other.
I can't thank you enough for what you gave to our family.
God Bless your good work.
~Mother who participated in the NIS program at Wauwatosa East High School in 2008
I need to tell you about the changes that have taken place since my 12 year old daughter and I saw NORMAL. After the play we went to Starbucks and we talked about the play. I let her know about some things in my life and my bad relationship with food. She revealed that some of the girls at her school were getting really mad at her at lunch and were accusing her of having an eating disorder. Over the past few weeks her grades had been dropping and she had been isolating more and more – arguing with and losing friends. She didn't want to be in any clubs or after school activities and I was getting really worried. I knew that she wasn't eating breakfast, in fact, every morning it was a struggle and I tried to convince her that she needed food in the morning, but she usually left the house with nothing in her stomach. Since she was eating well at dinner, I let it slide. What was revealed that evening was she was eating a Nabisco snack (peanut butter crackers) and drinking a bottled water each day for lunch. That was it. No breakfast and peanut butter crackers! She said there was nothing in the cafeteria that she wanted or liked. Since Monday 2/25 we have begun shopping together and making her a lunch every day – she will also eat breakfast; not much, but more than before. Now I don't have scientific evidence that this is connected, but I am convinced that it is: all of her grades are going up – she had Ds and Fs in her academic classes three weeks ago (very out of character for her) and she is up to Cs and one D now, and she is motivated and confident that she will bring everything up by the end of the quarter. She tried out for the play, and announced today that she will be playing volleyball this spring. She is bouncing back and I really think it has to do with food. If we had not seen the play, who knows how much longer it would have been before we had this conversation? I am so grateful that you brought this program to East. It was a powerful play that has opened the door to healthier living in my home.
~Jean (teacher at Tosa East)
Hey Robyn. I have seen the show 2 times. I just saw it at Wauwatosa West high, and at Whitewater. I mean the show is like telling my story with my eating disorder. I see myself in Polly soooo much and the family is like my family, sorta. Well anyway, i have had my Eating Disorder for about 5 years and i had gone to treatment in October for 7 week inpatient/ partial hospitalization. It was tough. I am still struggling today but if i can save or help one person that would mean the world to me by sharing my story. I go to a high school that has a lot of stigma about the girl and there appearance so I'm an outcast there. I don't fit in with them, and now I'm know as the girl that doesn't eat for 5 days and then purges everything she eats. Also known as a cutter. Life is very hard, still trying to recover but thanks for listening/reading. It means a lot that you responded to me.
~Kelsey
Hi Robyn,
My daughter and I went to the performance of Normal at Tosa East last night and I thought it was very insightful. My daughter suffers from an eating disorder and I completely identified with Kayla - Polly was so on target with my daughter's behavior. The two of us were just sobbing during the song "Write This".
Thank you and your company so much for the extremely moving performance.
~J. Conner
The most rewarding week of my teaching career thus far has been the week of the NIS program. With the freshmen class, reading the compelling story of Yvonne Adrian’s personal experience created incredible discussions about different styles of writing and expression. On a deeper level, the students were completely engaged in the reading and discussion of the content of the story. Empathy was the biggest lesson of all…after returning from watching NOR•MAL that week, the students asked some amazing/difficult questions, and were truly searching for understanding of not only the issue of eating disorders, but family crisis in general. The unique universal aspect of NOR-MAL made it possible for every student to find a way to connect to either the story or the musical. The NIS program has created a higher level of sensitivity among student body at Greendale High School and was a truly amazing experience for all involved.
~Mary Durand, English teacher, Greendale High School
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing NOR•MAL to Greendale High School. Thanks so much to Yvonne for bringing this story to the page and to the stage. Thanks to Tom and Cheryl for the amazing music, it sticks to your soul and resonates in your head. The music helps us to laugh and cry all at the same time. Over and above all of this, NOR•MAL: has been an experience that has evolved, taken on a life of its own. For me and for my family, it has been an “awakening”, it has helped all of my family, me included, to face something that I thought was long behind us. Only to find out, that it is still staring us squarely in the face, and it is not resolved. The Play itself is so well written, the music so powerful (fun and tragic all at once!); the content, which was so difficult to deal with “outside of the closet”, is now challenging us face to face. The first time I saw the shortened musical, I was shaken, filled with tears, and felt I was on the brink of a precipice. Almost afraid to go ahead and see the whole thing. Bravely I went on to see the kids perform NOR•MAL in full; and I saw that the eating disorders that had been gurgling around in our family for years, suddenly had burst wide open. Sure, we knew one daughter had dealt with this; that she continued to move on with her life, and pretty much looked at it as her “history”. Wrong. It’s something she NOW deals with in a very open way, to herself, others and us. She seeks regular professional help. She is on a REAL road to recovery. I don’t believe this would have happened for us in such an open way without NOR•MAL. Her sister, who makes her own way in the world, rather than walk in her sister’s shadow, still feels in that shadow with this disorder. She too suffered in College with this, and never really was able to tell us exactly how valid this was in her own life. She too is openly seeking help now, and is more at the beginning of her recovery, but she is on the road. Thanks to NOR•MAL, we can understand and be more open with her about this.
Our youngest daughter watches all this, takes it all in. She is the one who is fortunate to be a part of this production. She is experiencing NOR•MAL: and all that it teaches us about accepting ourselves and enjoying our lives one day at a time. I pray every day that this opportunity to take part in the experience of NOR•MAL is one that will make her keenly aware of the problem that eating disorders really are.
We see from our experience of NOR•MAL many things: One, the general public “doesn’t get it”. But, how can they ever even start to “get it” without some way to bring it out of the closet and into serious conversation and education? This is what NOR•MAL In Schools will do. As an educator myself, I am passionately positive that what you are doing is something that has gone undone for too long, Robyn.
NOR•MAL In Schools will open floodgates of conversation AND will be a way to gain education for all of us on something that many of us just “don’t get”. Two, NOR•MAL gives hope to the hopeless. To those suffering through this disorder but feel trapped and not knowing what to do next, NOR•MAL: will offer a way out. A way to find help. A way to understand truly what eating disorders are all about. NOR•MAL fosters talk in families and hope for recovery. Three, NOR•MAL In Schools may bring education and hope to MANY schools, MANY people -- MANY families, educators, guidance counselors, medical personnel and facilities. NOR•MAL in short, has helped this family of ours to talk about, to accept, and to work together for recovery from the “monkey on its back” -- eating disorders. There are people who believe you need to “find fault” with someone or something for “how did this happen to your family”. I do not believe finding fault fosters recovery. Educating people before they see NOR•MAL and holding a panel for “talk back” after, plus offering materials to take along….these are all ways NOR•MAL is breaking down the barriers, and helping the understanding. To be able to provide educational curriculums for schools AND medical facilities, just think of the impact that could have; this might possibly work towards nipping the problem in its budding stages which, as you already know, makes recovery even more successful. Putting this experience into words, I find myself trying to find the right words to say … Thank you. Thank you, Robyn.
~Kathy Lange, educator, wife, mother of 3 (Greendale, WI)
My first reaction to hearing about NOR•MAL was (with raised eyebrows) "A musical about anorexia?!?" Treating people with eating disorders for 17 years and knowing the devastation of the problem from the inside out made it very difficult for me to conceptualize how such a musical could be entertaining. To say I was skeptical about how this complex and sensitive issue could be theatrically portrayed is an understatement. I then had the unique experience of being able to meet with the cast and talk to them about what eating disorders are and how they impair the mind and body. The questions they asked and their eagerness to absorb all of the information they could get was highly impressive. It was clear they were being guided through the artistic process in a careful and thoughtful way given the matter at hand -- this was becoming so much more than just a musical production by a high school theatre class.
From a psychological standpoint, what has really been extraordinary is the deliberate attention that has been paid to how everyone involved -- cast, students, teachers, parents, audience members -- has reacted emotionally to NOR•MAL. From the lesson plans and student preparation prior to seeing NOR•MAL:, to the talkbacks, to the audience feedback forms, to the debriefing sessions and extraneous conversations, the professionalism and sensitivity with which this highly charged issue was handled has been outstanding. Something incredibly special happened the day the decision was made to bring NOR•MAL: to Greendale High School. It is hard to imagine that the electricity and profound impact this production has created for all it touched could ever be replicated, but the power of NOR•MAL has already transcended expectations and will undoubtedly continue to influence hearts, minds and, most importantly, recovery from eating disorders.
~Dr. Laura A. Lees, Clinical Psychologist, Certified Eating Disorders Specialist in private practice and 1979 Greendale High School graduate
NOR•MAL was literally the most powerful experience I’ve ever been a part of.
It’s changed the way I look at things. That’s amazing.
~Ali, cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
This was the most moving show I’ve ever worked on. To see the audience so touched by our creation – wow!!
~Sarah H., cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
An experience that has made it to #1 on my Most Memorable Moments.
~Dan, cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
NOR•MAL was intensely profound. It was pure bliss to have learned from this beautiful piece of work and to have others take something away from it that perhaps could change their life for the better. I feel honored and blessed to be part of such an amazing experience.
~Brittany, cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
No other theatre piece I’ve ever done has made me more proud. I’ve learned so much about myself, my friends, and what theatre creates in the hearts of audiences.
~Kathy, cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
The project NOR•MAL was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Not only were there great people involved who put their heart and soul in the production, but the community and school were so supportive which really helped it take flight. I’m very thankful for this opportunity and will never forget this musical.
~Rachel, cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
Performing NOR-MAL was like nothing any of us had ever done before. It is not only a show, but this monumental piece of art that has changed the lives of everyone involved with it. There is nothing else like it.
~Mary, cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
There is no better feeling in the entire world than knowing you have changed someone’s life, and NOR•MAL gave all of us this experience. Words don’t describe being a part of it. It was simply amazing.
~Jessica, “Polly” in Greendale High School’s production of NOR•MAL
When my daughter began to explain the concept of NOR•MAL and NOR•MAL In Schools (NIS), I was intrigued to say the least. As I learned more, I became enthused. Having firsthand knowledge of this sensitive subject, I was curious how this might be presented. I knew little until an early Saturday morning in fall of 2006, sitting in the audience at another high school theatre, I experienced the most powerful 30 minutes of my life. My eyes were wet, my heart was racing, and I had been touched in so many ways by this performance. I enjoyed the music; I laughed at the humorous moments, but was totally amazed at both the message and the delivery. Having seen the 30 minute "competition" version, I could not wait to see the 90 minute rendition. A few short weeks later, I was not disappointed. More dialogue, new songs and choreography, the momentum continued to build. Three performances, in one weekend, I saw them all!
One of the most moving aspects of these performances was the talkback. At the second performance, my oldest daughter was a part of the panel! She is a medical doctor, who just started the first year of her residency. She is also a survivor. Her presence on the panel gave me strength, hope, and courage. You must also understand that one of my other daughters is also a survivor. I have felt helpless, supportive, confused, and a full range of other emotions. NOR•MAL has helped me in so many ways. NOR•MAL has brought to the forefront something that was rarely talked about, but should be discussed openly. NOR•MAL has provided both a frame work, and additional understanding. This program, the theatrical performance, and NIS concept is incredibly important to everyone! It is our social responsibility to increase the community awareness of this critically important issue.
~Bob Lange, husband, father of 3 daughters (Milwaukee, WI)
My students were interested and surprised by the information that NIS provided about eating disorders, and they benefited from the pre-show classroom activities that NIS helped to create as well as the talkback session. They found the show both moving and entertaining, and I was pleased to see several of them return for additional performances outside of class time. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students and teachers in Greendale, and it is one that most of us will not forget, particularly those students and faculty members who recognized NOR-MAL: as an impetus for getting help for an eating disorder. I appreciate NIS's efforts to wrest this topic from its silent and taboo status and to bring it up for public discussion and support.
~Jennifer Hussa, English Department Curriculum Facilitator - Greendale High School
My students have undergone an enormous amount of personal growth while working on NOR•MAL. We've done a lot of stepping back and thinking about the issues the musical presents, and we've asked the kids to reflect on their experience. It is amazing to see how the students have matured by doing this show, not to mention how well they have bonded with each other. They have raised the level of their performance because of the subject matter. Everybody knows somebody in this situation, or one similar, or has a relative, or is experiencing it themselves. They make the musical so personal, and it therefore is that much more meaningful.
The musical creates its own reality to drive home its point. It is a heightened reality, it's not literal reality. There are a lot of sequences in the show that are somebody's dream or fantasy or nightmare or may be a metaphor for what's going on. This gives students a huge opportunity to be creative and to make the world of the musical into something they want it to be. This is empowering, and therefore powerful.
Today, there is so much pressure on kids coming from society, parents, peers and teachers. This musical asks the question, what is normal? Everyone has their own idea of what they think that is, and what they don't understand is that we're ALL normal. We all face these issues in some way: we are all members of families and all families must cope with crisis. If we can talk about this, we can deal with it. In this way, the musical helps promote dialog, and therefore healing.
~Eric Christiansen, Director of Theatre , Greendale High School
What we appreciated most about NOR•MAL:, was the musical's rich and well developed illustration of an eating disorder. NOR•MAL: went beyond the symptoms and the publicly popular 'quest to be thin' mentality and explored the complex family and relationship issues often experienced within eating disorders. This aspect cannot be ignored and was both painfully and beautifully depicted throughout the production.
~Kristin A Warfield, LMSW and Erin H. Loughran, PsyD, psychotherapists based in New York City specializing in the treatment of eating disorders.
NOR•MAL is a brave, rich and deeply moving play about one family's experience surviving an eating disorder. Eating disorders ARE a family affair, and Yvonne Adrian's NOR•MAL, based on her true experience as the mother of Polly, who develops anorexia, truly captures the extent to which an entire family becomes undone in the face of this painful issue. By Yvonne offering us her sometimes light, sometimes very painful personal perspective in this family crisis, NOR•MAL contributes significantly to reducing the stigma, shame and confusion often experienced amongst family members when someone in their family develops an eating disorder. This very human, honest portrayal of family interaction and dysfunction is unique and can help us all learn to be a little more compassionate and understanding toward the many individuals and families dealing with this serious issue. In the after play talkback that I attended, parents and adolescents were moved and full of questions. NOR•MAL has the potential to empower parents into greater awareness and understanding of their role in the manifestation of an eating disorder as well as letting the person with their eating disorder see more clearly how they are affecting their family.
~Lisa Jill Marcus, LMSW, Healer, Whole Living Healing Arts, NYC
Thank you so much for the chance to participate in the talk back after yesterday’s production of NOR•MAL. This is a subject so close to my heart -- I have so much passion for it. It was exhilarating to have an artistic community in which to speak up about it. In terms of my student [currently suffering from bulemia], it was, as Oprah might say, an "Aha" moment. I had warned her about the show in advance and told her it would be hard to watch but that I thought it was important that she see it, but left that decision up to her. As you know she chose to be brave and there we were.
From the beginning of "Happy Family" to the end of "Just A Day" this poor child cried her eyes out. Then I told her I wanted to stay for the talk back, but she could wait outside if she couldn't handle it, and again she made the tougher choice to stay. As we left the theatre afterwards and walked back to the west side, she quietly cried and I told her when she was ready I wanted to talk about what we had just seen. She is normally so reticent on this subject I was expecting to have to pull it out of her but she surprised me.
Somewhere around Washington Sq. Park she began to speak, and we talked all the way back to my apartment and on until the sun came up. She started by stopping in the middle of the street and turning to me saying, ‘Do you know what you just saw? You saw my family. Down to the mom going back to work, the grandma, the dad bolting to the gym and the brother...that is my life. That show was excruciating because it was 100% real.’
We talked about pressure and perfection, about beauty and being female and how to find a sense of self and hold on to it while pursuing a career based on your appearance. We talked about love and families and communicating in intimate relationships. We talked about expectation and plain old growing up. We talked about self-respect and respecting your body. I have always been open with her and all my students about my past, and what worked for me and what didn't. I told her a few years ago when we met that what had helped me the most was accepting the love and support of people I trusted, being vulnerable enough to ask for help and take it, and that included getting some professional help. She has been very resistant to therapy of any sort. I've told her time and again I thought it would be a good idea, but she was having none of it. She asked me once if I was going to tell her parents that she needed to get therapy, and I told her even though that was what I believed would help her the most, it was not my place to tell her parents what to do (since they are already aware of the bulimia), and that it didn't matter if both per parents and I forced her to go, it wouldn't help her at all unless she herself wanted the help and was willing to surrender to it and work hard at it. I told her I wouldn't bring it up again, but when she was ready, I'd help her find a good therapist or program and even hold her hand to go there if she wanted me to. At about 5 in the morning there was a lull in our conversation and she looked up at me and said, "Ok, I'm ready. I've known for a while that I need some help, but now I want it too." That was amazing. The next morning she called her parents and told them she had just seen this amazing show and that she wanted to talk to them about it as soon as she got home, and that she thought she was ready to get some help. So thank you and everyone involved in NOR-MAL: for helping me help this smart, beautiful promising young woman to see that she needed help. Your work is priceless, all of you, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing this darkness to light, and for making such an impact on this girl's life. Love and blessings,
~Rose – actress, teacher and 10 year anorexia and bulimia survivor.
Eating disorders are still a silent killer of our youth. Not only am I speaking of mortality, which is a true concern, but the killing of the spirit, of dreams, of strength, esteem, joy, the killing of TIME; years wasted in obsession over the body, the food, etc. In NOR•MAL we see how this also can destroy a family, friends, loved ones. Working together we can free our society of this disease, this obsession with looks & image instead of self love, esteem & health. NOR•MAL is a wonderful step in this direction.
~Alysia – has been in recovery from anorexia & bulimia for over 14 years
~Dr. William Hughes, Superintendent of Schools, Greendale, Wisconsin
NOR•MAL went so much further than the typical high school production. It truly transformed a majority of the school for a period of time. Classroom teachers, student support personnel, administrators, health professionals, theater professionals, parents, and a large amount of our students came together not only around a top-notch production and show, but also to support each other while learning more about ourselves through the very real issues of eating disorders and family dysfunction that many of our youth face. From a building administrator's point of view, this is what high school theater should be all about: great performances and music and a chance for more of the school to become involved in the production -- all through real-life content that challenges and educates both the actors and the audience.
~Steve Lodes, Principal at Greendale High School
I think NOR•MAL is the most powerful high school performance I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. I think it goes beyond eating disorders and looks at families that are dealing with crisis. Knowing people that have suffered through similar situations, the songs/lyrics capture exactly how they said they felt, especially "I'm good, I'm bad." I just wanted to thank you for bring this production to our school and making it possible to educate students and adults on a topic that is frequently overlooked or disregarded. It has meant a lot to me in many different ways.
~Jessica L. Talsky, Associate Principal/Activities Director, GHS
Robyn,
Thank you for the updates on your performance at Tosa East. I am not at all surprised to read about such success. I would like to share with you my family's experience after seeing your performance.
I have suspected for a while now that my daughter had a problem w/ food. Her pediatrician gave me the name of a local eating disorder specialist . I took this woman's card home. My daughter INSISTED I was making something out of nothing. She was amazingly convincing! I desperately wanted what she said to be true . .things started getting 'better' (In front of me) she appeared to be eating more) so I threw out the card and decided it WAS me that was making a big deal out of nothing.
The afternoon prior to your performance, my daughter and I had an appointment w./ her therapist. This was the session we were going to approacher her about her issues with food. She sat very pleasantly and DENIED ANY problems with eating. I can't say I was totally surprised. I was frustrated, but not surprised. Well, that appointment went kinda late and and I was afraid we had missed your show at East. We live around the corner from the school so on the way home I asked if she might like to go see a play about a family struggling with parents who think their child has an eating disorder? She reluctantly agreed. Thankfully the show did not start on time and we had time to get in sit down and relax a moment before it began.
As the show began, I was holding hands w/ my daughter . . she the content became closer to home for my daughter she began to pull away, first with her hand,then in her chair, she had physically pulled as far from me as possible. She refused to speak with me and she was ANGRY.
The show ended and the cast appeared for a 'talk back' and lo' and behold the local expert you had just happened to have was the SAME doctor our pediatrician had given us the month prior. This was clearly a sign unto me. I managed to get my daughter to walk up on stage to meet Dr Lees. She was SO kind and had such a welcoming and gentle spirit it was wonderful. Unfortunately my daughter was SO angry she was not able to appreciate this wonderful woman. Dr Lees informed me due to my daughter's age (13yrs) she would have to see Dr Lee's partner. I called the next morning, Dr Gray is every bit as wonderful as Dr Lee was.
My daughter is now in intensive treatment. My fears were confirmed - she has a sserious problem with eating and I was praised for geting her in at 'the perfect time', In completing the intensive intake paperwork for the dr, I came to grips with my own eating disorder and I have begun treatment w/ Dr Less.
The few hours we sat and watched NORMAL was a truly life changing experience for me and my family. I now have hope that BOTH my daughter and I can develop and maintain a healthy relationship with food and RE-establish OUR relationship with each other.
I can't thank you enough for what you gave to our family.
God Bless your good work.
~Mother who participated in the NIS program at Wauwatosa East High School in 2008
I need to tell you about the changes that have taken place since my 12 year old daughter and I saw NORMAL. After the play we went to Starbucks and we talked about the play. I let her know about some things in my life and my bad relationship with food. She revealed that some of the girls at her school were getting really mad at her at lunch and were accusing her of having an eating disorder. Over the past few weeks her grades had been dropping and she had been isolating more and more – arguing with and losing friends. She didn't want to be in any clubs or after school activities and I was getting really worried. I knew that she wasn't eating breakfast, in fact, every morning it was a struggle and I tried to convince her that she needed food in the morning, but she usually left the house with nothing in her stomach. Since she was eating well at dinner, I let it slide. What was revealed that evening was she was eating a Nabisco snack (peanut butter crackers) and drinking a bottled water each day for lunch. That was it. No breakfast and peanut butter crackers! She said there was nothing in the cafeteria that she wanted or liked. Since Monday 2/25 we have begun shopping together and making her a lunch every day – she will also eat breakfast; not much, but more than before. Now I don't have scientific evidence that this is connected, but I am convinced that it is: all of her grades are going up – she had Ds and Fs in her academic classes three weeks ago (very out of character for her) and she is up to Cs and one D now, and she is motivated and confident that she will bring everything up by the end of the quarter. She tried out for the play, and announced today that she will be playing volleyball this spring. She is bouncing back and I really think it has to do with food. If we had not seen the play, who knows how much longer it would have been before we had this conversation? I am so grateful that you brought this program to East. It was a powerful play that has opened the door to healthier living in my home.
~Jean (teacher at Tosa East)
Hey Robyn. I have seen the show 2 times. I just saw it at Wauwatosa West high, and at Whitewater. I mean the show is like telling my story with my eating disorder. I see myself in Polly soooo much and the family is like my family, sorta. Well anyway, i have had my Eating Disorder for about 5 years and i had gone to treatment in October for 7 week inpatient/ partial hospitalization. It was tough. I am still struggling today but if i can save or help one person that would mean the world to me by sharing my story. I go to a high school that has a lot of stigma about the girl and there appearance so I'm an outcast there. I don't fit in with them, and now I'm know as the girl that doesn't eat for 5 days and then purges everything she eats. Also known as a cutter. Life is very hard, still trying to recover but thanks for listening/reading. It means a lot that you responded to me.
~Kelsey
Hi Robyn,
My daughter and I went to the performance of Normal at Tosa East last night and I thought it was very insightful. My daughter suffers from an eating disorder and I completely identified with Kayla - Polly was so on target with my daughter's behavior. The two of us were just sobbing during the song "Write This".
Thank you and your company so much for the extremely moving performance.
~J. Conner
The most rewarding week of my teaching career thus far has been the week of the NIS program. With the freshmen class, reading the compelling story of Yvonne Adrian’s personal experience created incredible discussions about different styles of writing and expression. On a deeper level, the students were completely engaged in the reading and discussion of the content of the story. Empathy was the biggest lesson of all…after returning from watching NOR•MAL that week, the students asked some amazing/difficult questions, and were truly searching for understanding of not only the issue of eating disorders, but family crisis in general. The unique universal aspect of NOR-MAL made it possible for every student to find a way to connect to either the story or the musical. The NIS program has created a higher level of sensitivity among student body at Greendale High School and was a truly amazing experience for all involved.
~Mary Durand, English teacher, Greendale High School
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing NOR•MAL to Greendale High School. Thanks so much to Yvonne for bringing this story to the page and to the stage. Thanks to Tom and Cheryl for the amazing music, it sticks to your soul and resonates in your head. The music helps us to laugh and cry all at the same time. Over and above all of this, NOR•MAL: has been an experience that has evolved, taken on a life of its own. For me and for my family, it has been an “awakening”, it has helped all of my family, me included, to face something that I thought was long behind us. Only to find out, that it is still staring us squarely in the face, and it is not resolved. The Play itself is so well written, the music so powerful (fun and tragic all at once!); the content, which was so difficult to deal with “outside of the closet”, is now challenging us face to face. The first time I saw the shortened musical, I was shaken, filled with tears, and felt I was on the brink of a precipice. Almost afraid to go ahead and see the whole thing. Bravely I went on to see the kids perform NOR•MAL in full; and I saw that the eating disorders that had been gurgling around in our family for years, suddenly had burst wide open. Sure, we knew one daughter had dealt with this; that she continued to move on with her life, and pretty much looked at it as her “history”. Wrong. It’s something she NOW deals with in a very open way, to herself, others and us. She seeks regular professional help. She is on a REAL road to recovery. I don’t believe this would have happened for us in such an open way without NOR•MAL. Her sister, who makes her own way in the world, rather than walk in her sister’s shadow, still feels in that shadow with this disorder. She too suffered in College with this, and never really was able to tell us exactly how valid this was in her own life. She too is openly seeking help now, and is more at the beginning of her recovery, but she is on the road. Thanks to NOR•MAL, we can understand and be more open with her about this.
Our youngest daughter watches all this, takes it all in. She is the one who is fortunate to be a part of this production. She is experiencing NOR•MAL: and all that it teaches us about accepting ourselves and enjoying our lives one day at a time. I pray every day that this opportunity to take part in the experience of NOR•MAL is one that will make her keenly aware of the problem that eating disorders really are.
We see from our experience of NOR•MAL many things: One, the general public “doesn’t get it”. But, how can they ever even start to “get it” without some way to bring it out of the closet and into serious conversation and education? This is what NOR•MAL In Schools will do. As an educator myself, I am passionately positive that what you are doing is something that has gone undone for too long, Robyn.
NOR•MAL In Schools will open floodgates of conversation AND will be a way to gain education for all of us on something that many of us just “don’t get”. Two, NOR•MAL gives hope to the hopeless. To those suffering through this disorder but feel trapped and not knowing what to do next, NOR•MAL: will offer a way out. A way to find help. A way to understand truly what eating disorders are all about. NOR•MAL fosters talk in families and hope for recovery. Three, NOR•MAL In Schools may bring education and hope to MANY schools, MANY people -- MANY families, educators, guidance counselors, medical personnel and facilities. NOR•MAL in short, has helped this family of ours to talk about, to accept, and to work together for recovery from the “monkey on its back” -- eating disorders. There are people who believe you need to “find fault” with someone or something for “how did this happen to your family”. I do not believe finding fault fosters recovery. Educating people before they see NOR•MAL and holding a panel for “talk back” after, plus offering materials to take along….these are all ways NOR•MAL is breaking down the barriers, and helping the understanding. To be able to provide educational curriculums for schools AND medical facilities, just think of the impact that could have; this might possibly work towards nipping the problem in its budding stages which, as you already know, makes recovery even more successful. Putting this experience into words, I find myself trying to find the right words to say … Thank you. Thank you, Robyn.
~Kathy Lange, educator, wife, mother of 3 (Greendale, WI)
My first reaction to hearing about NOR•MAL was (with raised eyebrows) "A musical about anorexia?!?" Treating people with eating disorders for 17 years and knowing the devastation of the problem from the inside out made it very difficult for me to conceptualize how such a musical could be entertaining. To say I was skeptical about how this complex and sensitive issue could be theatrically portrayed is an understatement. I then had the unique experience of being able to meet with the cast and talk to them about what eating disorders are and how they impair the mind and body. The questions they asked and their eagerness to absorb all of the information they could get was highly impressive. It was clear they were being guided through the artistic process in a careful and thoughtful way given the matter at hand -- this was becoming so much more than just a musical production by a high school theatre class.
From a psychological standpoint, what has really been extraordinary is the deliberate attention that has been paid to how everyone involved -- cast, students, teachers, parents, audience members -- has reacted emotionally to NOR•MAL. From the lesson plans and student preparation prior to seeing NOR•MAL:, to the talkbacks, to the audience feedback forms, to the debriefing sessions and extraneous conversations, the professionalism and sensitivity with which this highly charged issue was handled has been outstanding. Something incredibly special happened the day the decision was made to bring NOR•MAL: to Greendale High School. It is hard to imagine that the electricity and profound impact this production has created for all it touched could ever be replicated, but the power of NOR•MAL has already transcended expectations and will undoubtedly continue to influence hearts, minds and, most importantly, recovery from eating disorders.
~Dr. Laura A. Lees, Clinical Psychologist, Certified Eating Disorders Specialist in private practice and 1979 Greendale High School graduate
NOR•MAL was literally the most powerful experience I’ve ever been a part of.
It’s changed the way I look at things. That’s amazing.
~Ali, cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
This was the most moving show I’ve ever worked on. To see the audience so touched by our creation – wow!!
~Sarah H., cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
An experience that has made it to #1 on my Most Memorable Moments.
~Dan, cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
NOR•MAL was intensely profound. It was pure bliss to have learned from this beautiful piece of work and to have others take something away from it that perhaps could change their life for the better. I feel honored and blessed to be part of such an amazing experience.
~Brittany, cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
No other theatre piece I’ve ever done has made me more proud. I’ve learned so much about myself, my friends, and what theatre creates in the hearts of audiences.
~Kathy, cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
The project NOR•MAL was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Not only were there great people involved who put their heart and soul in the production, but the community and school were so supportive which really helped it take flight. I’m very thankful for this opportunity and will never forget this musical.
~Rachel, cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
Performing NOR-MAL was like nothing any of us had ever done before. It is not only a show, but this monumental piece of art that has changed the lives of everyone involved with it. There is nothing else like it.
~Mary, cast member of NOR•MAL at Greendale High School
There is no better feeling in the entire world than knowing you have changed someone’s life, and NOR•MAL gave all of us this experience. Words don’t describe being a part of it. It was simply amazing.
~Jessica, “Polly” in Greendale High School’s production of NOR•MAL
When my daughter began to explain the concept of NOR•MAL and NOR•MAL In Schools (NIS), I was intrigued to say the least. As I learned more, I became enthused. Having firsthand knowledge of this sensitive subject, I was curious how this might be presented. I knew little until an early Saturday morning in fall of 2006, sitting in the audience at another high school theatre, I experienced the most powerful 30 minutes of my life. My eyes were wet, my heart was racing, and I had been touched in so many ways by this performance. I enjoyed the music; I laughed at the humorous moments, but was totally amazed at both the message and the delivery. Having seen the 30 minute "competition" version, I could not wait to see the 90 minute rendition. A few short weeks later, I was not disappointed. More dialogue, new songs and choreography, the momentum continued to build. Three performances, in one weekend, I saw them all!
One of the most moving aspects of these performances was the talkback. At the second performance, my oldest daughter was a part of the panel! She is a medical doctor, who just started the first year of her residency. She is also a survivor. Her presence on the panel gave me strength, hope, and courage. You must also understand that one of my other daughters is also a survivor. I have felt helpless, supportive, confused, and a full range of other emotions. NOR•MAL has helped me in so many ways. NOR•MAL has brought to the forefront something that was rarely talked about, but should be discussed openly. NOR•MAL has provided both a frame work, and additional understanding. This program, the theatrical performance, and NIS concept is incredibly important to everyone! It is our social responsibility to increase the community awareness of this critically important issue.
~Bob Lange, husband, father of 3 daughters (Milwaukee, WI)
My students were interested and surprised by the information that NIS provided about eating disorders, and they benefited from the pre-show classroom activities that NIS helped to create as well as the talkback session. They found the show both moving and entertaining, and I was pleased to see several of them return for additional performances outside of class time. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students and teachers in Greendale, and it is one that most of us will not forget, particularly those students and faculty members who recognized NOR-MAL: as an impetus for getting help for an eating disorder. I appreciate NIS's efforts to wrest this topic from its silent and taboo status and to bring it up for public discussion and support.
~Jennifer Hussa, English Department Curriculum Facilitator - Greendale High School
My students have undergone an enormous amount of personal growth while working on NOR•MAL. We've done a lot of stepping back and thinking about the issues the musical presents, and we've asked the kids to reflect on their experience. It is amazing to see how the students have matured by doing this show, not to mention how well they have bonded with each other. They have raised the level of their performance because of the subject matter. Everybody knows somebody in this situation, or one similar, or has a relative, or is experiencing it themselves. They make the musical so personal, and it therefore is that much more meaningful.
The musical creates its own reality to drive home its point. It is a heightened reality, it's not literal reality. There are a lot of sequences in the show that are somebody's dream or fantasy or nightmare or may be a metaphor for what's going on. This gives students a huge opportunity to be creative and to make the world of the musical into something they want it to be. This is empowering, and therefore powerful.
Today, there is so much pressure on kids coming from society, parents, peers and teachers. This musical asks the question, what is normal? Everyone has their own idea of what they think that is, and what they don't understand is that we're ALL normal. We all face these issues in some way: we are all members of families and all families must cope with crisis. If we can talk about this, we can deal with it. In this way, the musical helps promote dialog, and therefore healing.
~Eric Christiansen, Director of Theatre , Greendale High School
What we appreciated most about NOR•MAL:, was the musical's rich and well developed illustration of an eating disorder. NOR•MAL: went beyond the symptoms and the publicly popular 'quest to be thin' mentality and explored the complex family and relationship issues often experienced within eating disorders. This aspect cannot be ignored and was both painfully and beautifully depicted throughout the production.
~Kristin A Warfield, LMSW and Erin H. Loughran, PsyD, psychotherapists based in New York City specializing in the treatment of eating disorders.
NOR•MAL is a brave, rich and deeply moving play about one family's experience surviving an eating disorder. Eating disorders ARE a family affair, and Yvonne Adrian's NOR•MAL, based on her true experience as the mother of Polly, who develops anorexia, truly captures the extent to which an entire family becomes undone in the face of this painful issue. By Yvonne offering us her sometimes light, sometimes very painful personal perspective in this family crisis, NOR•MAL contributes significantly to reducing the stigma, shame and confusion often experienced amongst family members when someone in their family develops an eating disorder. This very human, honest portrayal of family interaction and dysfunction is unique and can help us all learn to be a little more compassionate and understanding toward the many individuals and families dealing with this serious issue. In the after play talkback that I attended, parents and adolescents were moved and full of questions. NOR•MAL has the potential to empower parents into greater awareness and understanding of their role in the manifestation of an eating disorder as well as letting the person with their eating disorder see more clearly how they are affecting their family.
~Lisa Jill Marcus, LMSW, Healer, Whole Living Healing Arts, NYC
Thank you so much for the chance to participate in the talk back after yesterday’s production of NOR•MAL. This is a subject so close to my heart -- I have so much passion for it. It was exhilarating to have an artistic community in which to speak up about it. In terms of my student [currently suffering from bulemia], it was, as Oprah might say, an "Aha" moment. I had warned her about the show in advance and told her it would be hard to watch but that I thought it was important that she see it, but left that decision up to her. As you know she chose to be brave and there we were.
From the beginning of "Happy Family" to the end of "Just A Day" this poor child cried her eyes out. Then I told her I wanted to stay for the talk back, but she could wait outside if she couldn't handle it, and again she made the tougher choice to stay. As we left the theatre afterwards and walked back to the west side, she quietly cried and I told her when she was ready I wanted to talk about what we had just seen. She is normally so reticent on this subject I was expecting to have to pull it out of her but she surprised me.
Somewhere around Washington Sq. Park she began to speak, and we talked all the way back to my apartment and on until the sun came up. She started by stopping in the middle of the street and turning to me saying, ‘Do you know what you just saw? You saw my family. Down to the mom going back to work, the grandma, the dad bolting to the gym and the brother...that is my life. That show was excruciating because it was 100% real.’
We talked about pressure and perfection, about beauty and being female and how to find a sense of self and hold on to it while pursuing a career based on your appearance. We talked about love and families and communicating in intimate relationships. We talked about expectation and plain old growing up. We talked about self-respect and respecting your body. I have always been open with her and all my students about my past, and what worked for me and what didn't. I told her a few years ago when we met that what had helped me the most was accepting the love and support of people I trusted, being vulnerable enough to ask for help and take it, and that included getting some professional help. She has been very resistant to therapy of any sort. I've told her time and again I thought it would be a good idea, but she was having none of it. She asked me once if I was going to tell her parents that she needed to get therapy, and I told her even though that was what I believed would help her the most, it was not my place to tell her parents what to do (since they are already aware of the bulimia), and that it didn't matter if both per parents and I forced her to go, it wouldn't help her at all unless she herself wanted the help and was willing to surrender to it and work hard at it. I told her I wouldn't bring it up again, but when she was ready, I'd help her find a good therapist or program and even hold her hand to go there if she wanted me to. At about 5 in the morning there was a lull in our conversation and she looked up at me and said, "Ok, I'm ready. I've known for a while that I need some help, but now I want it too." That was amazing. The next morning she called her parents and told them she had just seen this amazing show and that she wanted to talk to them about it as soon as she got home, and that she thought she was ready to get some help. So thank you and everyone involved in NOR-MAL: for helping me help this smart, beautiful promising young woman to see that she needed help. Your work is priceless, all of you, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing this darkness to light, and for making such an impact on this girl's life. Love and blessings,
~Rose – actress, teacher and 10 year anorexia and bulimia survivor.
Eating disorders are still a silent killer of our youth. Not only am I speaking of mortality, which is a true concern, but the killing of the spirit, of dreams, of strength, esteem, joy, the killing of TIME; years wasted in obsession over the body, the food, etc. In NOR•MAL we see how this also can destroy a family, friends, loved ones. Working together we can free our society of this disease, this obsession with looks & image instead of self love, esteem & health. NOR•MAL is a wonderful step in this direction.
~Alysia – has been in recovery from anorexia & bulimia for over 14 years
Share your thoughts about NOR•MAL:
Send an e-mail to Robyn Hussa at rhussa@normalinschools.org
Thank you for reading!