Behind Beautiful Things

Years ago, I wrote and performed a one man show called “Invisible Now”. I had the idea for the show when I had gone through a particularly dark period. My anxiety was overwhelming. I was exhausted at all hours of the day. I was feeling as though I was losing hope and I just wanted it to end. Luckily, we realized that the issue was something was interfering with my medication. Once this was righted, I started to think about all the things I had worried about in that period, and for my whole life. I had a thought: Wouldn’t it be funny if I did a show where I just talked about all the weird shit I’ve been afraid of?

Behind Beautiful Things springs from this same well. When I did that show, I hoped that by sharing my weird shit, people would feel less alone; hoped, even, that they might feel comfortable sharing with someone close to them their own weird shit.

Here’s some more of my weird shit.

I'm a GenX survivor. I was born in small-town Wisconsin but currently live in Northern Virginia with a husband, 17 birds, and 3 dogs, and zero quiet. I'm a beginning potter, working on a Masters in Adult Education, knitter, runner, and formerly known as an alcoholic. I strive to never become a phony - (yes, Catcher in the Rye is one of my favorite books).

Jeremy is a Minister.

Bill Kincaid is a freelance theatre director based in southwestern Ohio. His most recent directing projects have been at the Cortland Repertory Theatre in New York, Florida Repertory Theatre (education tour), Iowa’s Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He is the author of Performing Shakespeare Unrehearsed, published by Routledge, and recently retired from Western Illinois University, where he ran the MFA acting program for 17 years. (Profile photo courtesy of: Todd Joyce of Joyce Photography)

Podcaster | Speaker | Mental Health advocate

Lisa has walked with mental health for decades and has survived the unthinkable loss of a child. Now, she is a public speaker, podcast host, and founder of the Hope & Healing Community for grieving mothers. Lisa believes in hope and she believes that it is possible to carry hardship in one hand and happiness in the other.

John works as a learning consultant for a medical technologies company just outside Chicago. He is also an actor, sometimes writer, husband, and father of two.

Carol LaChapelle is a writer, teacher and the author of Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Stories. She can be reached at writingworkshops@msn.com.