Celebrating the messiness of personhood with compassion and care
Review by Ash Dawes 22nd Mar 2024
Therapy, which premiered at the New Athenaeum Theatre as part of the Dunedin Fringe Festival, is written by lead performer Chelsea McRae. From what we can tell, the show is largely autobiographical, and covers experiences from sexual assault, to suicide, to religious trauma. The subject matter is heavy, and the performers allow it to be so, while the show’s comedy gives the audience a chance to decompress.
The script is tightly written (dramaturged by Amanda Martin) and the show has clearly been well-rehearsed (directed by Marea Colombo). I’m so impressed by McRae, who is in complete control of the audience for the entirety of the performance, and who has an intuitive sense of comic timing. Her singing voice is also outstanding, and the songs integrate into the arc of the rest of the piece without ever feeling forced.
This hour-long show covers multiple therapy sessions, separated by interludes where the projector becomes a phone screen—a device that is hugely effective. This narrative structure allows us to witness the process of growth across weeks, and creates a sense of catharsis by the end. As an audience, we are rooting for McRae, who initially goes into the therapy office for lorazepam, claiming she’s “already done the work” (this gets a laugh).
Therapy is a musical comedy, so it would be remiss not to comment on the music (composed and performed by Mario Sadra-de Jong). Sadra-de Jong is the show’s second performer, playing the keyboard and on one occasion chiming in to address the audience. Although the programme does not credit a costume designer, Sadra-de Jong wears an amazing glittery outfit that I am both impressed by and envious of.
The lighting design (Cody McRae) supports the show to great effect. The keyboard and the main stage space are lit separately by coloured LEDs, which change to delineate separate scenes. The set consists of a red chaise longue on a rostrum, and a keyboard beside the stage. The rostrum becomes the therapy room, and we the audience become the therapist. This is an excellent directorial choice, as it keeps us firmly engaged in the action throughout the piece. Even sitting in the third row back, I feel as if McRae is making eye contact with me directly, and I can’t look away.
It isn’t often that a performance brings me to tears, but Therapy did. It’s an artistically brilliant piece that handles incredibly sensitive content with great care, delicacy, and compassion. Everyone involved in this show should be hugely proud of what they’ve achieved. Personally, I found this piece quite triggering, and I’m sure I won’t have been alone in that. It is a credit to all involved, then, that Therapy creates a space in which it’s safe to be uncomfortable. Art is not supposed to always be easy to watch and the experience of being a person is not supposed to always be comfortable—far from it. Therapy celebrates the messy parts of personhood, holding space for the non-linearity of trauma and healing.
Monday, 11 March 2024
Therapeutic musical comedy takes on ‘heavy’ themes
By Tim Scott
A Dunedin artist is inviting the public to her own private therapy session — and hopes they will have a few laughs along the way.
As part of this year’s upcoming Dunedin Fringe Festival, artist and performer Chelsea McRae is putting her real life trauma out on stage in a musical cabaret inspired by true events.
The show follows a woman walking into a therapist’s office, and after failing to confront anything, culminates in an acceptance of her father’s suicide.
“Which sounds really heavy, but we’ve made it fun,” Mrs McRae said.
“It is a comedy.”
Mrs McRae said she had begun researching the practice of consent in rehearsal spaces for her postgraduate studies.
She wanted to discover how to share intimate details with an audience in a safe way.
“So many of the things that I think about and experience are real, but also kind of hilarious and also kind of a part of experiencing trauma.
“If I can learn how to navigate that safely on stage, then that’s part of my research done.”
Mrs McRae, who has battled with endometriosis and complex regional pain syndrome, said sharing this on stage was immensely cathartic.
Having gone to therapy herself, she said it was very important to practise vulnerability and implored others to do the same.
“I’m such a big believer in therapy.
“I don’t think that it’s a weakness to see a therapist, I think it’s really good.
“Humans are social creatures, we are supposed to open up to each other, but we’re afraid to.”
The show would touch on intrusive thoughts, sexual assault, suicide and physical illness, but in a light-hearted and respectful manner that focused on people’s responses the topics.
It was about “retelling, not reliving” trauma, and sharing it in a way that would not endanger herself or the audience.
Mrs McRae said you never knew what could affect someone, and invited the audience to pop out of the room at any stage if the show became too much.
She hoped opening up about her battles would give the audience a taste of the wonders of therapy.
“A director told me once that there’s three acts to a show.
“You’ve got the first act, second act and the third act happens in the drive home from the theatre.
“I hope that in that drive home … people feel stuff.
“If anyone has feelings then that’s great because that’s what therapy is supposed to help with.”
Therapy: A Comedy Cabaret debuts at the New Athenaeum Theatre on March 21.
Need help?
Healthline: 0800-611-116
Lifeline: 0800-543-354 or text 4357
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508-828-865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
Samaritans: 0800-726-666
Alcohol Drug Helpline: 0800-787-797
Depression Helpline: 0800-111-757
Writing, producing and performing her story
Honour’s student Chelsea McRae is excited to have her show ‘THERAPY’ feature in the 2024 Dunedin Fringe Festival.
It has been said ‘good things take time’ and that’s something playwright Chelsea McRae might agree with.
Chelsea is part way through her honour’s degree in Theatre Studies at Otago. Her show ‘THERAPY’ will debut during the 2024 Dunedin Fringe Festival in March.
“THERAPY is a show that I procrastinated writing for a really long time,” she says.
A lecturer from the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts (NASDA), where Chelsea got her undergraduate degree, once advised her to keep a journal of anything she goes through – funny, tragic or embarrassing, to use as fodder for her future work.
Chelsea kept a blog about some of these experiences but it wasn’t until last year that she put its contents to good use as part of a self-directed project for a theatre studies paper.
“It’s about my journey navigating the aftermath of abuse and losing my dad to suicide, balanced by plenty of embarrassing things.”
During the show, Chelsea’s character starts seeing a therapist, hoping to find a “quick fix for dizzy spells”.
She spends a few sessions laughing about intrusive thoughts, discussing the weird side of grief, and attempting to convince her audience she isn’t crazy before finally accepting herself.
Chelsea’s show sees her character dealing with some very traumatic events.
Covering such heavy and personal topics could understandably make a performer feel very vulnerable, but Chelsea has a good friend on stage, right by her side – Mario Sadra-de Jong, who attended NASDA with Chelsea.
Mario shared with her a few “hilarious” comedy songs he had written which Chelsea asked if she could use in her show, and the show evolved to become a “one and half women musical”.
“Words cannot express how his music has made my personal story feel validated and special.”
Putting the show together was hard to do, but also therapeutic, Chelsea says. She is an advocate for good mental health and wellbeing among actors. Her research during 2024 will focus on consent and safety in the rehearsal room, and she sees ‘THERAPY’ as her first step towards exploring trauma in a safe way for both actors and the audience.
Mario Sadra-de-Jong, one of Chelsea’s good friends from NASDA, provides music for the show.
THERAPY is the second show Chelsea has written. Her first, ‘Bachelor Party’ centred around things her then-fiancé, and his friends, said during his bachelor party.
“I’ve produced a few other shows, but this is the first time I’ve written, produced and performed my story.”
Chelsea is grateful for the help she received during the writing process from supervisor and playwright-in-residence Amanda Faye Martin and psychology lecturer Dr Marea Colombo.
Chelsea is doing her honours part-time, while working full-time for the University’s International Office. She also teaches singing at the Voice Lab nz.
She’s excited to have her show be a part of the 2024 Dunedin Fringe Festival. Shows will be held at 8pm on 21, 22 and 23 March at New Athenaeum Theatre, and tickets can be purchased online.
THERAPY will also be staged at Little Andromeda in Ōtautahi Christchurch over Kings Birthday this year.
– Korero by internal communications adviser, Koren Allpress
The Last Five Years: an intimate musical of love and career dreams
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The Last Five Years is an intimate musical made up of two actors and a band of string instruments and piano, telling the story of two New Yorkers navigating love and career dreams.
The Jason Robert-Brown musical explores the five-year relationship of Cathy Hiatt and Jamie Wellerstein, played by Cody McRae and Chelsea Sheehan-Gaiger.
Wellerstein rises to fame as a novelist and Hiatt struggles as an aspiring actor.
Unique in style, the show progresses with Hiatt telling the story in reverse chronological order, and Wellerstein in chronological order, which creates an insightful and emotional experience for musical-theatre-lovers and heartbreak-survivors alike.
McRae and Sheehan-Gaiger have recently hit the five-year-mark themselves, meeting while studying at the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art (Nasda) in Christchurch, in 2014.
The couple married this year.
“We love the theatre scene here in Palmerston North,” says McRae.
“We’ve met some amazing people and have been pleasantly surprised to discover that moving here from Sydney has offered us so many opportunities to work together in creating theatre.
“Manawatu has something pretty special going on and we love being a part of that.”
The Nasda project has been used to upskill musicians and local theatre enthusiasts; recruiting a new director, developing techies and performers who are ready for the next challenge in their creative pursuits.
The band in the musical are all Manawatū locals, on cello, violin, guitar, bass and piano, who play non-stop through the entire show, which tells the story through the music.
Feilding High school head of music and The Last Five Years’ musical director Danielle Grové, says the band is the third character of the show.
“Working on this show and getting to play with amazing musicians has been a huge highlight for me.
“It’s exciting to see so much passion from the musicians, performers and everyone behind the scenes.
“We are so lucky to have this talent in the community.”
Nasda graduate and show director, Chris McRae, says he is excited to be making his directing debut after a rocky start.
“It is no secret that 2020 has given us some of the most difficult challenges we have had to tackle in a generation.
“The arts have had to face the full force of having these disruptions.
“Having begun work on this project over a year ago with an intended season in May, it is very heartening to be able to see a final product on the horizon.
“We have been very fortunate in having the opportunity to reschedule this show without too much difficulty, thanks to the amazing team at The Globe.”
The show opens on December 17 and runs for a four-show season at The Globe Theatre with support from PNCC Creative Communities Scheme and local businesses.
Tickets can be booked on The Globe website or at The Globe box office.
Musical comedy Bachelor Party brings real-life woes to the stage
What happens when five guys under 35, arguably in the prime of their lives, bring to life characters based on the real-life versions of themselves?
A bachelor party, of course.
Bachelor Party, a show opening at Centrepoint’s The Dark Room in Palmerston North in November, is a musical comedy that tells the story of a stag do that doesn’t go to plan.
There is singing, dancing and the inevitable wearing of toilet paper wedding dresses.
The cast features Shannan Jacobs, a father of three, Finn Davidson and Aiden Wilson, who appeared in lead roles for the Manawatū Theatre Society’s Wedding Singer earlier this year.
Future neuroscience student Cody McRae also features in the line-upmm alongside Joshua Gaiger, a graduate of New Zealand School of Dance’s Tu Move programme for male Māori and Pasefika dance students.
The show is directed by National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art graduate Chelsea Sheehan-Gaiger. She also wrote it, basing it on a series of coffee dates with the cast.
“As my creative projects earlier this year came to a close, I suddenly realised I had no more musicals to move on to, so I decided to create my own. I’ve worked with all five of these amazing young men in previous shows and knew they would make the perfect characters for what I had in mind.”
So what gets a group of young men keen to put on a musical? Jacobs has an answer for that.
“I really enjoy showing my kids that it’s never too late to discover a new passion, or decide to follow a dream that you’ve had for a while. I started doing this well into my working life, but musicals bring me a lot of joy.”
Gaiger, who recently moved to Palmerston North from Wellington, said ballet and contemporary dance were a big part of his childhood.
“Growing up, other kids didn’t always understand that boys can enjoy dancing too, but I feel proud when I dance. This is my first show of this nature and it’s been great to both dance in and choreograph, even if it is in the form of Magic Mike.”
The show, supported by the Manawatū Theatre Society, with musical direction from UCOL’s Kane Parsons, is proving popular, with tickets almost sold out.
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Chelsea Gaiger 