With or Without Wings: Actress' Story of Living with Multiple Sclerosis
A Red Orchid Theatre (Chicago, IL)
Rated 3.8 by 4 members who went.
A Red Orchid Theatre presents Mierka Girten's With or Without Wings. Girten was a promising young actor beginning her graduate studies in 1992, when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She tells her story in this inspiring and surprisingly funny show.
Event summary prepared by the Goldstar Editorial Team.
All dates for this event have expired.
The last event was Sunday November 2, 2008 / 7:00pm. (view all dates)
Don't Miss Out On Any More Events!
No Photos Yet
Check back to this section to see pictures from this event!
2 Member Reviews
Reviews are sorted first by profile photo (reviewers with profile photos are displayed first), second by the total number of kudos the review has received (the more kudos, the earlier the review appears), third by date written (newer reviews appear before older reviews).
More Details
With or Without Wings
Written and performed by Mierka Girten
Adapted by Michael Thomas
Directed by Larry Grimm
Penned and performed by one of A Red Orchid’s very own, this one-woman tour-de-force chronicles a young performer’s humbling first encounters and shocking diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis. Mierka recrafts her ideal and idyllic childhood living in Cincinnati, discovering her penchant for drama by channeling “Annie”, enrolling in a high school for the performing arts, and embarking on the competitive journey of graduate school where she would ultimately confront an unexpected “hard knock life” in discovering her diagnosis. Avoiding the pitfalls of mellow drama and “cloying memoir”, Girten seamlessly plays over 15 characters in this soaring 75 minute show.
Few could experience the chaotic ride actress Mierka Girten has in the past decade and laugh about it… and at themselves… and about Multiple Sclerosis. "I own the right to make fun of MS. I've earned it and I wear it like a badge of honor," laughed Girten who is now in remission. Girten was originally diagnosed with MS in 1992, during her first year of graduate studies in acting at DePaul University. With the support of her family and friends, she was able to continue with classes, audition frequently and maintain a positive outlook about her health.
When Girten's mother, Rose Marie, complained of headaches and numbness, it was as though she was sharing sympathy pains for her daughter's condition. But a doctor's visit revealed that Rose Marie was also suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. The news sent Girten on a self-destructive pattern of behavior that culminated with a suicide attempt and four days in a coma. During those four days she summoned the strength to wake up and fight MS again. This time her weapon was words. Comedy became the major coping mechanism Girten used to deal with her MS and the health of her mother. "Not everyone with Multiple Sclerosis experiences the same symptoms. And not everyone copes with MS the same way," stated Girten. "I chose to laugh." She used her personal drama as the backbone of With or Without Wings, a one-woman show which humorously traces her struggles with Multiple Sclerosis.
Originally produced in 2001 to critical acclaim, With or Without Wings was the inspiration for the Mookie Jam Foundation, which benefits artists with MS. Partial proceeds from the run of this show will benefit the Mookie Jam Foundation.
A Red Orchid Theatre
A Red Orchid Theatre is an ensemble of artists dedicated to the proliferation of live theatre in the modern world. They believe that theatre is the greatest sustenance for the human spirit and approach their work with a palpable sense of social compassion, aesthetic rigor, and honesty. By presenting new plays from all over the world and by reviving insightful works from the past that bear new relevance today, they aim to seek out and build new audiences for the modern stage.
