WWU to host actor with suicide prevention message

11/4/2011 Mary Ann Beahon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (573) 592-1127

 

A playwright and actor will bring his suicide prevention message to William Woods University Nov. 16. His performance is sponsored by WWU’s Counseling and Health Services Office.
 
 Josh Rivedal will perform his 30-character, seven-song, one-man show, “The Gospel According to Josh,” at 6 p.m. in Cutlip Auditorium of the McNutt Campus Center.  It is free and open to the public.
 
Written and performed by Rivedal, the show takes audiences with him as he journeys through his difficult upbringing, his escape to New York City, two stints as a reality TV star and, ultimately, his father’s tragic suicide.
 
Originally intended for a traditional theatre-going audience, Rivedal decided to incorporate suicide prevention into the play’s themes after speaking with several young audience members who were impacted by the “Gospel According to Josh.”
 
The aim of the play and talkback is to present a real picture of depression and suicide by someone who has lived through it as well as provide a forum where we can reduce the stigma so that students feel comfortable seeking help for themselves or a friend when faced with depression, mental illness, or suicidal thoughts.
 
At WWU, Rivedal’s performance will be followed by a panel discussion on youth suicide prevention aimed at educating students to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression, to encourage students to get help for themselves or for others that may be having suicidal thoughts, and to provide resources to students on suicide prevention.
 
“The Gospel According to Josh” has been seen at such venues as the Midtown International Theatre Festival in New York, and the Media Theatre in Pennsylvania
 
ReviewFix.com hails the play as “a compassionate tale of life, loss, under-achievement and perseverance. There isn’t one moment during the show where you’re lost, bored or even close to contemplating being anywhere else but your seat.”