In 2008 Windsor Ontario debuts its first International Fringe Festival. For Windsor's arts community this was a big deal. Jason Gale and I, both passionate performers, wanted to be a part of that experience and worked for months on a project about bipolar disorder, we had no idea what a long journey it would turn out to be.

Three years and eight cities in Ontario later we are still crafting and presenting the most important stage work we have ever done. September finds this production "The Bipolar Express", as we lovingly refer to it now, in Vancouver B.C. It seems like a wild and crazy dream to be honest.

In Hamilton's Fringe Festival the Ontario Arts Review deemed our show 'Type 2 ~ A Bipolar Journey' the most important play in the Hamilton Fringe. The Ontario Psychological Association booked our show for a convention and psychologists actually stood in line to talk to us about the incredible experience of watching our show.

The show touches on drug use and abuse of both prescribed and non-prescribed medications all while entertaining the crowd with comedy woven throughout. The story pulls you in and you forget you are watching a stage production. The main characters are fictitious yet their story is one that millions can relate to.

I worry about the cuts to arts funding by this current government. The comment made years ago by the Prime Minister that stated "ordinary Canadians don't support the arts" was my wake up call into the political world as far as being engaged and educated on what was really happening to the state of our great nation. I worry about all of this because art is part of who we are and sometimes art, or in this case a stage play, can change peoples lives, and guide them on to a path of healing. Another benefit to our chosen craft is that it creates awareness to something that lurks in the shadows and is often gravely misunderstood, specifically bipolar disorder, type 2.

We have received numerous letters and written comments from audience members stating their gratitude and praise for what they see on our stages and it is things like this that moves us to continue down this difficult road.

I believe the strongest driving force for me, the reason I risk losing my shirt on travel expense, struggling alongside Jason to do everything we can to make this work exceptional, without any sponsorship and consistent rising expenses, the reason this presentation goes beyond money is the audience. The audience who sit silently, moved to tears, recognizing their selves on the stage, realizing they are not alone, this is the reason we suffer for our art.

I must say that in 25 years of professional stage I've never been more moved, my heart touched so deeply as when we finish a show and the people who have just experienced something quite mighty and powerful embrace us and we cry together. Sometimes the only words that these dear souls can muster through their tears is "Thank you!" This payoff can never have a dollar amount attached to it, it goes so far beyond fame and fortune. It is a place of total and beautifully, painful truth. There is nothing else like it! The gratitude for this experience simply cannot be measured on this plane nor in dollar amounts.

Thank you for reading my experience.

Sincerely,
Michelle J. Mainwaring

For more information on author Jason Gale here: http://www.type2bipolarshow.com

More on one important initiative here: http://mostlywater.org/type_2_bipolar_journey