I hope that you’re enjoying your summer and that you’re staying cool and comfortable, my friend!

As we enter the second half of 2024 (how is the year half over already???) I’m writing to ask for your help in my quest to continue saving lives.

For the 10th year, I’ve partnered with the Marsh in San Francisco to present my show on depression, THE WAITING PERIOD, free to the public throughout 2024. THE WAITING PERIOD won the Theater Bay Area award for OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A SOLO PLAY, but more important than that, the play has literally saved lives.

It’s my personal story of battling the deepest realms of depression. I go there to show people who are also struggling and their families and friends who don’t fully understand what depressives and those suffering from mental illness deal with, what it’s like from the inside. The project has been more successful that we could have ever imagined. While there are several stories I’ve heard over the years about people who decided not to take their own lives after seeing the show, one in particular sticks out in my mind.

A San Francisco woman had decided to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. Her plan was to go to her favorite café, have a pastry and her favorite coffee drink, and then drive to the bridge. Coincidentally, the table she chose had a copy of that Sunday’s Chronicle pink section on it. The paper was open to the theater section, and it had a picture of me with information that I’d be performing THE WAITING PERIOD for free and why I was doing it. The woman read the blurb, then made a fateful decision. She’d flip a coin. Heads, she would go see the show. Tails, she’d drive to the bridge and jump. It came up heads.

She came to the show, and it spoke to her. It told her that she wasn’t alone. That she wasn’t the only one who felt that way and that there was indeed light in the darkness if she could only hold on. Once the play was over, she sat in her seat and cried. She then took out her phone, called her sister and asked for help. She got the psychiatric and therapeutic help she needed all because a coin gave her an option to suicide. THIS is why I keep doing this show.

In the past, we’ve only presented the show at the Marsh San Francisco. This year, I’m doing free performances in San Francisco and free performances at the Marsh Berkeley. The shows will be performed on a Sunday at noon a couple of times per month. August dates will be announced soon. Keep an eye on themarsh.org for details.

In order to present this play for free to the public, we’ve set up a GoFundMe account to cover the rental, staff and show expenses.

WILL YOU HELP US?

The Marsh is a registered 501c3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. If you can afford to donate $1500 or more, I’ll take you to lunch or dinner at one of my favorite Bay Area eateries. We’d really appreciate anything that you can do.

So will the people whose lives you save.

To donate, go here:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/xs47d-help-us-help-people-with-depression?qid=d3bfadc2ffc1e61cfdade8034988e599

Thanks for any help you can give!

Brian Copeland