MANHATTAN, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, December 3, 2014 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As is the case with most mental illnesses, bipolar disorder is a frightening condition. This condition is replete with many challenges including the increased risk of suicide and furthermore it is not often normally discussed or dramatized. Musical theatre is an extremely powerful medium when it comes to taking hold of the emotions of an audience. In the case of “RAINLIGHT – A Musical” the medium meets the subject matter of mental illness in an impactful way.

Creating a musical with bipolar characters is an oft overlooked topic. Shedding a dramatic light on this condition both creates a new artistic opportunity and does a service to society as a whole. Those who are bipolar are extremely sensitive but they are not crazy. They are not rejects from society who should be masked away from everyone else because they are scary. These notions need to be met and challenged head on. Audiences do not enter “RAINLIGHT – A Musical” with a full understanding of what those who are bipolar face. Rather there a number of preconceived notions and possible misunderstandings which need to be dispelled in every audience. This is the power of analyzing the blessings and challenges of raw and new topics using a public venue like musical theatre. At the end of the day this portrayal of bipolar sufferers humanizes them, teaches us that this is a profoundly human condition.

“RAINLIGHT – A Musical” is an off-Broadway performance which is at times a warm and funny lighthearted journey. It is a world in which a giant blue grizzly bear is a constant companion. There is also an inspirational angle to RAINLIGHT both to those who suffer from this disorder and to those who know them and love them. That same colorful bear is a symbol of the difficult feelings associated with being bipolar. As the title suggests this musical revolves around a world in which the rain never stops. This story makes for a thrilling musical for the entire family.

RAINLIGHT is a collaboration of talented members of the theatre community. This group cares about each other and just as importantly cares about the issue of bipolar disorder and mental illness awareness. The team is led by the direction of playwright, actor and director Ed Malone as well as the writing of bipolar author Porter Smith. Porter released the album “Home Port” in 2013. In addition Porter has written several books including “Bipolar Blessing – A Memoir of Transilience”, “Phantasmagoria” and Endangered Bipolar - Learning to Outlive the Option of Suicide - over Phantasmagoria - Tall and Short Tales . This experience lends itself to quality direction and writing about a very familiar subject to those leading the project.

RAINLIGHT is a stereotype - smashing musical. As most groundbreaking projects are, this is a challenge to promote. It is not easy to espouse mental illness to a general audience. There are many costs associated with creating a show. The goal is set at 20,000 dollars. This will cover a stipend for nine actors, three musicians, an off-Broadway stage, a choreographer and a set designer. To meet this goal a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign has been created and will run until December 21st. The “RAINLIGHT – A Musical” Kickstarter page has a list of sample songs from the musical including “A Circus Crowd”, “Polka Dot” and “Longest Running Show.” This is just a taste of the talented work in store for audiences. There are many crowdfunding rewards available:

• $7 – Seven Mp3s of songs from “RAINLIGHT – A Musical”
• $14 – All 14 Mp3s of the songs from “RAINLIGHT – A Musical”
• $25 – All 14 Mp3s of the songs “RAINLIGHT – A Musical” and a digital copy of the written play.
• $50 – One ticket to “RAINLIGHT – A Musical” plus a digital link to a private copy of a videotaped performance of the off-Broadway production plus all previous rewards
• $100 – Two tickets to “RAINLIGHT – A Musical” plus all previous rewards
• $250 – Two VIP Tickets to “RAINLIGHT – A Musical” with backstage passes to meet Porter and Ed, and all the players plus all previous rewards
• $500 – Four VIP tickets to “RAINLIGHT – A Musical” with backstage passes to meet Porter and Ed, and all the players plus all previous rewards
• $1,500 – A magical, acoustic home performance for you, your family, and friends – at any private location of your choosing – by MAPLE SKY, Porter Smith and Meirav Eytan’s World vocal duet (travel expenses will need to be covered beyond the Northeast of North America) plus four VIP tickets to “RAINLIGHT – A Musical” with backstage passes to meet Porter and Ed and all the players plus all previous rewards.

About:
“RAINLIGHT – A Musical” is a new musical tackling the difficult issues of bipolar disorder and mental illness. This show is about a world in which the rain never stops and a giant blue grizzly bear is a constant companion. This colorful character serves as a symbol of the struggle and feelings pent up inside those who deal with being bipolar every day. This lighthearted yet powerful musical is currently undergoing a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to meet its production costs.

Porter Smith
RAINLIGHT
www.portersmithpslutz.com
email us here

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