Jun 1, 2022

Tackling Mental Health In The World of Theatre

"We are desperately trying to change that ['show must go on'] culture. It doesn't have to be this way. Who said it had to be this way?

What does mental health look like in one of the most cutthroat industries in the world? Can a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis ever be a good thing? And must the show always go on?

In this week’s episode, actress Nikka Graff Lanzarone talks mental stamina, why certain mental health conditions go underdiagnosed in women and the “epiphany” of being diagnosed with ADHD at 37.

“There's also like a certain amount of grieving that comes with [being diagnosed], that you're like, ‘Oh, so it didn't have to be like this my whole life. Cool.’”

Nikka also explores how her battle with depression and anxiety shaped her as a performer, and the natural therapy of dance.

“When you're dancing, you don't have to deal with any of that. All you have to do is say whatever it is you're trying to say and you don't have to talk. … I get a break from having to be myself and dealing with my s*** for two and a half hours. I get a break from me.”

For Nikka, an important facet of her acting career is something that goes hand in hand with mental health – the work she does as a labor advocate.