Kristin E. Ellis in ''The Mars Assignment''.

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY:

RONAN MARRA

CO-CREATED WITH:

ELSA HILTNER

​

RAN OCTOBER - NOVEMBER OF 2016

Newcity Stage

"Recommended"

Today, a young girl presents a school project. An advertising executive (Kristin E. Ellis) is pitching a new client. A stand-up comedian prepares for a tour. Everyone is feeling it, but no one wants to talk about it. Collaboraction explored mental illness in THE MARS ASSIGNMENT.​

“People with depression are usually placed in exploitative roles in theatre and film,” says Hiltner, who was inspired to start the process to create The Mars Assignment. “We specifically set out to create a show that showed realistic characters living with depression in the way that millions of people do. Living the 'everyday' and navigating stigmas, without leaning on the stigmatizing tropes of suicide and addiction.”

Every performance also featured an open discussion with co-creator Elsa Hiltner and various Community Partners including NAMI (National Association on Mental Illness)