Community
“THIS IS CRAZY!”: New Play by V featuring Jane Fonda, Sanaa Lathan, and more to benefit mental health advocacy
The one-night-only performance marks the beginning of National Mental Illness Awareness Week and will benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a leading nonprofit focused on mental health support and education.
A new theatrical production, THIS IS CRAZY!, will debut October 6, 2025, at Symphony Space in New York City. The one-night-only performance marks the beginning of National Mental Illness Awareness Week and will benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a leading nonprofit focused on mental health support and education.
About the production
Created and directed by Tony and Obie Award-winning playwright V, formerly Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues, the play features a series of monologues exploring mental illness and emotional complexity.
The cast includes:
- Jane Fonda
- Mark Ruffalo
- Marisa Tomei
- Sanaa Lathan
- Rosanna Arquette
- Lois Smith
- Rachel Hilson
- Olivia Oguma
- Colette McDermott
- Derrick Delgado
- Luke Ferrari
- Doireann Mac Mahon
- Clarence Maclin
- Mohammad Saleem
Each actor presents a personal narrative, highlighting the human experience through humor, vulnerability, and resilience. The production was developed by the CAA Foundation in memory of talent manager Chris Huvane. Ruth-Ann Huvane, a NAMI board member and mental health advocate, serves as producer.
“We are grateful to V and the cast for supporting our mission,” said NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. “Storytelling helps reduce stigma and build understanding. This performance will strengthen our outreach and support efforts nationwide.”
Supporting mental health awareness
Mental health conditions affect millions of Americans. According to NAMI, one in five adults and one in six youth ages 6–17 experience a mental health condition annually. These challenges impact individuals across all communities, regardless of age or background.
More performances
A second performance is planned for Los Angeles in 2026. All proceeds from both events will directly support NAMI’s programs and services. With over 650 affiliates nationwide, NAMI provides education, advocacy, and community support for those affected by mental illness.
Tickets for THIS IS CRAZY!
Tickets for the New York performance are now available. For more information on THIS IS CRAZY!, NAMI, or ways to contribute, visit NAMI.org/ThePlay.
Discover more from Unheard Voices Magazine®
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
NAACP launches National Black Man Voter Day with week of action aimed at mobilizing 100,000 Black men
Former NFL defensive end Allen Bailey dies at 37
University of Maryland Tennis Club issues public apology after racist imagery sparks backlash
Mississippi Attorney General says officer was justified in shooting that killed 1‑year‑old Kohen Wiley
Police veteran begins rare cancer fight after pleomorphic sarcoma diagnosis
VP of Detroit funeral home found dead days after family said mother was mistakenly cremated
Black Aerospace Professionals Development Director Haifa Baptiste dies in Costa Rica flash flood
Mississippi police make second arrest in death of Black woman found hanging from tree
Justice for Nolan Wells Reward Fund raises $300k
California couple welcomes rare mixed triplets weighing 19 pounds total, nearly breaking world record
Woody Shaw’s Avant‑Garde ‘Song of Songs’ returns to vinyl after 50 years through Jazz Dispensary’s Top Shelf Series
Kansas City’s Copper Boyz Ranch provides youth violence‑prevention through horsemanship
Nolan Wells’ family demands ‘thorough’ investigation: “What we’ve been told does not make sense”
Peabo Bryson, Grammy‑winning voice behind two Disney classics, dies at 75
OWN greenlights first-ever ‘Belle Collective’ spinoff Belle Collective: Birmingham
-
In Memoriam2 weeks agoBoston rapper Rahim “V Knuckles” Muhammad dies at 46 after fight with brain cancer
-
In Memoriam2 weeks agoMajor Jewel McDonald, oldest known living man in the U.S., dies at 110
-
New Jersey2 weeks agoNew Jersey mom demands answers after 4‑year‑old son died at daycare
-
In Memoriam2 weeks agoCurtis Flowers, Mississippi man wrongfully convicted after being tried for the same killings 6 times, dies at 56
-
Real Voices2 weeks agoWoman dies after stopping to help trapped driver of flipped car on interstate
-
Health & Wellness2 weeks agoTeen brother to donate lifesaving bone marrow to younger sister battling sickle cell
-
Culture2 weeks agoBlack Public Media to premiere “The Morgue Twins,” spotlighting twin NYC mortuary technicians
-
Police2 weeks agoDr. Anita Allen makes history as the first Black woman police chief in a Metro Atlanta city