Some people may find their social circle getting smaller as they age, which could result in a feeling of isolation. But one Dixon, Illinois group of seniors is finding joy in the spotlight. WNIJ’s Yvonne Boose explores how theatre can boost morale… and more.
Dixon Stage Left – known as DSL – is under renovation.
“Sorry, we have lots of hazards here during construction.” “Including me, no, no, I’m kidding,” joked Christine Tremayne, 66, and DSL’s executive and creative director Jimmy Ferraro.
They and several other adults are going over lines for “WE STILL GOT IT!,” a variety show that includes comedy, singing and improvisation. It’s the first show for DSL’s Senior Theatre.
Group members sat around a table with paper in hand as they prepared to go over their parts.
Some have performed for decades while others are just starting out.
Tremayne pushed out the song “When You’re Good to Momma” as she portrays Mama Morton from the musical “Chicago.” It’s a part that she’s played before.
“So, I've been singing it," she said, "since I was, probably, 25."
Tremayne started performing when she was 10.
“And there's nothing better, nothing better, as far as I'm concerned,” she said. “It's the safest high you can ever have. Being in front of an audience, sharing with them and having them laugh or stand up."
Mary Carlson, 65, worked as a reporter and announcer at WSDR Radio in Sterling for more than two decades. She said this performance allows her to use her voice again.
“I don't sing and I don't dance, but I can read,” she said. “My daughter is real involved in the theater here, and she got me involved last year. I did a reader's theatre group, and then I just decided, 'okay, I'll give this a shot.'”
Carlson said older people can benefit because it helps to keep their minds sharp. Plus, it’s a good way to meet people.
Claire Burke is an art therapist at the Institute of Therapy through the Arts in Evanston. She said taking part in the arts can give the elderly something to be excited about.
“It's, sad, but there are a lot of, you know, elderly people who are very isolated,” Burke said. “They don't have many companions, or some of their friends have passed away, or they're in, you know, memory care, or other things, where these places might be understaffed and people are just kind of sitting by themselves and not getting a whole lot of stimulation.”
Burke said older individuals need a lot of cognitive stimulation. Elmhurst University theatre professor Tony Noice and his late wife Helga Noice did extensive research on how participating in theatre can increase memory, creativity and problem-solving abilities in older adults. They conducted MRI’s on older people engaged in theatre training and found improvements in the performance of
tasks that tap relational memory, as well as attentional and executive controls.
Jamie Mayer is a professor of speech language pathology at Northern Illinois University. She said the arts can do something else — give aging individuals a sense of pride.
“There's things that we know become harder with aging,” she explained, “but there's also things we know that people tend to stay really good at, and so promoting self-efficacy and self-control and empowerment and pride in what you're doing is a really great way to, you know, to kind of help older adults, and doing it in a social, fun context, even better.”
Tremayne said she suffers from severe clinical depression and bipolar disorder. She said if she goes without her medication, she doesn’t want to get out of bed, take care of personal hygiene or clean her apartment.
“I get up on a stage, and that completely disappears," she said. "I want to share with my audience. I want to make them laugh, and that makes me happier than anything I've ever had in my life.”
Ferraro said he saw it.
“As soon as she came into the room," he said, "she picked herself up and she showed a radiance and a vibrance that carried all the way into her little rehearsal performance. She has purpose now."
"We are," he added, "like, providing what could be like a service, really, and it's very exciting and heartwarming to see what could be 'the forgotten people,' to be able to have a new lease on life, and laughter and joy comes in all ages.”
The performance of "WE STILL GOT IT!" takes place Oct. 26 at The Next Picture Show in Dixon.
