August 7, 2018
Entertainment and enlightenment are only two of the expectations for the upcoming performance of Coming of Age at the Creative Cauldron as a group of talented teens perform a cabaret with compelling stories about their personal journeys through tough terrain.
Coming of Age will feature songs about the struggles that teens can go through as they confront anxiety, bullying, depression, identity issues, body image, suicidal ideation, and even awkward talks with parents about romantic intimacy. The cabaret also includes comic moments and humor. The cast of Coming of Age recently performed A Will to Survive, a rock opera about teen suicide prevention at the Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center.
Coming of Age was created by A Place to Be, a Northern Virginia based non-profit that helps people with disabilities, medical issues, and mental health struggles to navigate and overcome challenges. Under the leadership of Tom Sweitzer, A Place to Be uses clinically-based practices of music therapy and expressive arts therapy in their work. Sweitzer’s work was noted in a documentary screened at the Kennedy Center called Music Got Me Here, which features music therapy as an evidence-based tool.