Director’s Note
Bringing this show to Milwaukee has been a goal of mine for nearly a year. As someone who works in the space of suicide prevention, and who has lived experience of suicidal thoughts, I wanted community members to have an opportunity to learn more about this issue and to feel empowered to take action to help loved ones who experience suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Suicide is still a stigmatized topic among many, and I hope that bringing this show to our community helps to break that stigma a bit, so that we can start a dialogue about suicide. The more we talk about it, the more people who struggle will feel heard, which may help them feel safer to reach out for help. This show is also a reminder that we need to reach in when we are concerned about a loved one, coworker, or neighbor. Ultimately, this show is an expression of collective care for those who have their own lived experience of suicide, or who have lost a loved one to suicide. Thank you so much for your support of this work.
Sara Kohlbeck
Performer Bios
Chris Goode is a Milwaukee based actor and occasional improviser/comedy writer. This is his second project with All In Productions, having previously written and performed with the podcast “WAIP”. He dedicates his performance tonight to the memory of Keith McKenna.
Amanda J. Gregas, PhD, is a psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine at MCW. She is Acute Mental Health Program Manager at the Milwaukee VA, specializing in inpatient mental health and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She received her doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with an emphasis on multiculturism.
Sara Hansen is a Senior Administrative Assistant at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
She enjoys travel, art, attending concerts, dining out with friends, and creating craft cocktails at home.
She lives with her husband Matt and cat Ziggy.
Rachel Jones is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at Children’s Wisconsin. Rachel spent most of her childhood involved in community theater productions in her home state of North Carolina (her most memorable role was as the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland). During nursing school, she was a member of the East Carolina University Reader’s Theater; a cohort of medical, dental, and nursing students bringing stories of ethical dilemmas in medicine to community centers, and stimulating group discussion. In her free time she enjoys live music, spending time with friends, and providing mentorship to aspiring psychiatric nurses.
Aaron Kohlbeck has been performing improv and sketch comedy in the Milwaukee area for close to 15 years. He is also a web developer by profession, working for a diverse range of clients across many industries.
Gena Orlando is the Wisconsin Area Director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Gena began her journey as a voice for suicide prevention in the late 90s after surviving a suicide attempt and losing two of her close friends to suicide. Gena is a founding member of the AFSP Wisconsin Chapter; she accepted a staff role in 2019. She lives in Milwaukee with her partner and their pups. In her spare time, Gena enjoys spending time with her favorite people, crafting, baking, and watching trashy TV with her pups by her side.
Julia Rowley is excited to be back on the stage. Some of her favorite roles include Charity in Sweet Charity (Habitat for Humanity), Mrs. Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank (Waukesha Civic), and Nurse Preen in The Man Who Came to Dinner (Sunset Playhouse).. Julie has been involved in theater for most of her life in-front-of and behind the scenes. She has recently dabbled in improv and stand up and is working on venturing into storytelling next. Julie dedicates her performance to all who have been touched by suicide, hoping healing can begin by opening up the conversation.
Mia Smith is a Milwaukee based performing artist and musician. You can find her onstage around town, having most recently performed original music at the Milwaukee Fringe Festival and with Schmitz N Giggles. This is her first project with All In Productions. Love to her supportive parents, Chrissy, Milo and puppy Rosco.
Dr. Carol Tsao is a General Psychiatrist who has been in practice for thirty years in Milwaukee, WI. She is a tenured full professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin and on the medical staff of Clement J. Zablocki VAMC.
About the Directors
Erica Case is a Milwaukee native with over 10 years of local theater experience. She was an owner and founder of The Alchemist Theatre & Lounge, and is currently serving on the Board of Schmitz n’ Giggles. Erica has worked as a director, designer, performer and more. Erica has a passion for innovative perspectives to classic works and for pushing creative boundaries.
Sara Kohlbeck is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and she is the Director of the Division of Suicide Prevention at the Comprehensive Injury Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin. In her role, Sara works with collaborators around the State of Wisconsin to research, develop, implement, and evaluate strategies for suicide prevention. Her work currently focuses on suicide prevention among veterans as well as farmers and marginalized populations, including Black and Latinx individuals living in urban areas. Her dissertation research focused on better understanding farmer suicide through qualitative methods, including photovoice. Sara received her PhD in Public and Community Health at the Medical College of Wisconsin.=
Talkback Information
Each performance features a talkback with
Vaynesia Kendrick, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, serves as the Suicide Prevention Manager for the
City of Milwaukee Health Department’s Office of Violence Prevention. She is a proud alumnus of North
Division High School in Milwaukee, WI and she received her Bachelors of Science in accounting from
Alabama State University and her Masters of Science in Management-Change Leadership from Kaplan
University (now Purdue University Global).
Mrs. Kendrick speaks with youth and adults about suicide prevention and awareness and promotes suicide
prevention efforts and activities within the community. Mrs. Kendrick is a certified QPR facilitator and
has conducted a number of trainings citywide. She is also a NAMI CONNECT Prevention trainer and a
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention trainer with the Crisis Prevention Institute while working closely with the
OVP Faith Community Collaborative Partnership Group and CARDIFF group. In addition, she serves as
the co-chair and is a steering committee member of Prevent Suicide Greater Milwaukee and serves
alongside numerous organizations within the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee county.
Erica Steib is the State Suicide Prevention Program Manager at Mental Health America of Wisconsin. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from UW Milwaukee, where she studied psychology and public health. In her work at MHA, Erica brings education and resources to build capacity for suicide prevention in a variety of settings. She serves on the Prevent Suicide Wisconsin Steering Committee, a public-private partnership to reduce the rate of suicide attempts and deaths. Her lived experience and drive to work towards health equity inspired her to develop The Prism Program, a new mental wellness resource for LGBTQ+ youth and adults. Erica is inspired by the peer-led movement in mental health, which centers lived experience and autonomy. She hopes to use principles of peer-support to establish more community-based resources to avoid carceral interventions for those in crisis.