Blake’s brother Morgan, a psychiatric nurse practitioner based in Mason, was co-creator/director, and Morgan served as a welcoming emcee. They partnered with seven Lansing area health care professionals — plus one non-health-care-professional who shares an intense health care exPERience.
Each story was a unique personal portrait — all relating to mental/physical health, stress, mortality, trauma, coping with Covid 19… Sounds like a downer but each story included elements of insight, strength, resilience and growth that were uplifting and inspiring, and uniting us in that “human thing."
Storytellers were Melissa Black, psychiatric nurse practitoner; Erik Grill, local actor and survivor of Covid; Margaret Keeler, family and psychiatric nurse practitioner; Debra Klueger, D.O. and practitioner of Lifestyle Medicine; Peter Liu, a musician who is also a urologist — and played wonderful preshow music; Ada Mbono, local actress “pivoting” though health care work; Mike Stratton, Licensed Master Social Worker; and Linda Vail, recently retired Ingham Community Health Officer.
Barb Whitney’s beautiful watercolor abstract art created a “set” of wall hangings, plus framed smaller art that can be purchased; email contact included in the program.
Tickets are free (so bring some buck$ to donate to the Peppermint Pete piggy bank) still with reservations requested at: https://peppermintcreek.org/event/an-incredibly-human-thing/ Director Blake Bowen says “we’ll squeeze you in” if those reservations turn up full for the FINAL SHOW Saturday, May 13; the production runs approximately two hours with no intermission.
An Incredibly Human Thing is performed at McLaren Hospital Greater Lansing, located in the Karmanos Cancer Institute wing, 3520 Forest Road, Lansing, MI 48910. Parking is free; enter the hospital through the Karmanos Cancer Center entrance (NOT the main hospital entrance), and then take the elevator or stairs to the third floor. Signs and an usher-is person are there to help.