MTI Partners With Mental Health Literacy Collaborative to Launch Free Resource
MTI is proud to announce a collaboration with the Mental Health Literacy Collaborative (MHLC), an organization whose vision is for all individuals to understand mental health in order to make informed choices and thrive. This new collaboration will involve MTI distributing a free digital resource guide for educators entitled, Supporting the Whole Performer: Mental Health Literacy in Theatre, in the near future to all customers producing an MTI show.
MTI licenses the rights to perform musicals from Broadway, the West End, and beyond to thousands of schools and theatres each year, involving millions of young performers. MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre, offering special collections and adaptations of shows specifically designed for elementary, middle and high school-aged performers. MTI’s musicals are typically the first exposure a young person has to theatre. Directors and production staff are considered trusted adults in the lives of the youth they serve. When mental health-related issues arise, either in a show’s script or in real life, the cast and crew look to these leaders for guidance and support.
The Supporting the Whole Performer: Mental Health Literacy in Theatre guide offers teachers and directors information and resources about mental health literacy using four common themes: (1) Resilience; (2) Relationships, Belonging & Empathy, (3) Understanding Health Factors, and (4) Identity. With this guide, theatre leaders will strengthen their own mental health literacy and gain confidence to effectively navigate mental-health related topics appropriately, with care and compassion.
“Musicals offer a meaningful way to explore mental health literacy, helping young artists engage with core concepts like perspectives, emotions, relationships, and coping strategies,” said John Prignano, MTI’s Chief Operating Officer and Director of Education & Development. “We are grateful to collaborate with the MHLC on this initiative to promote a better understanding of mental health and distribute the MHLC’s resources to educators.”
The MHLC is focused on making the four-part framework of mental health literacy (MHL) foundational in US schools and communities. The framework addresses: (1) how to foster and maintain positive mental health, (2) common disorders and treatments, (3) how to seek help effectively, and (4) stigma and stigma-reduction strategies. Through collaborative projects, national policy research, cross-sector advocacy, and community-specific resource development, the MHLC has become the leading authority in MHL education.
Before serving as the CEO for the MHLC, Annie Slease was a classroom teacher where she spent her last decade leading her school’s middle and high school musical programs. She understands the responsibilities of a director and recognizes how frequently issues related to mental health may arise during a youth production. “Musical theatre is an essential space for so many young people. With this guide, we want directors, choreographers, music directors, stage managers, and really all adult members of the production team to feel confident engaging in conversations related to mental health with their young cast and crew. When those conversations happen, everybody can thrive.”
Supporting the Whole Performer: Mental Health Literacy in Theatre will soon be included digitally with all materials for every MTI licensee. Additional information will be forthcoming.
