Arty Girl: Shannon deJong Performs at Madcap

Every woman I know has described herself as "crazy" at least once. And that includes me. Totally.Why do we insist on saying this? I can only speak for myself here - but I think I do it so I have license to misbehave, make mistakes or change my mind on...

By Lilia Menconi

September 21, 2009

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Every woman I know has described herself as "crazy" at least once. And that includes me. Totally.

Why do we insist on saying this? I can only speak for myself here - but I think I do it so I have license to misbehave, make mistakes or change my mind on a whim. But there's got to be something more to this overly aggressive habit of fake self-diagnosis.

That's just one of many issues that San Francisco performance artist, Shannon deJong, will tackle this weekend in her one-woman show, "Burst".

DeJong, who wrote this 80 minute performance, knows what she's talking about. She relates to the typical, everyday, modern "madwoman" but she has also dealt with an actual diagnosis of bipolar 2 disorder. DeJong uses her 20 years experience as a theater performer to examine "medication, madness, modern life and Generation 'Me'" in a fast-paced play teeming with humor and wit.

She's in Tempe this weekend with just two performances at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. 15% of proceeds benefit the AZ chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness.

For Tickets to "Burst" by Shannon deJong, visit www.MadcapTheaters.com.

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