A comedic show coming to the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival this weekend explores what it's like to live with bipolar disorder.
Amanda Andrews' one-woman play, "Bipolarcoaster", makes its Rochester debut Saturday, September 20 at 3:00 pm at the Rose Room on Gregory Street.
Andrews uses exaggeration, humor, and original music by Kyle Lacy to offer audiences a raw and honest take on mental health that would probably be incredibly uncomfortable in an office or a coffee shop.
"It's not terrifying to me at all," she said. "It's really is the most alive and connected to humanity that I feel when I get to share in this way."
That's because there is an unspoken agreement between theater performers and their audiences, according to Andrews. "People who have come to see a show have agreed to take in whatever it is that you're presenting to them, and that's not really the agreement in the day to day life that we operate in."
And connecting with her audience is a priority for her. She said memorizing her script and other aspects of her performance allows her to be fully present to experience the synergy of the room. The laughter is all but guaranteed. But sometimes, something deeper, too.
"The most humbling and affirming feedback that I often receive," said Andrews, is people say they feel less alone or less shameful about very personal things that they deal with."
