Modern Warrior LIVE

a brief 90-second overview of Modern Warrior LIVE: https://bit.ly/2YVccFY

On September 11, 2001, as our nation faced unimaginable tragedy, we also witnessed incredible acts of heroism. In New York City, firefighters, police officers, and paramedics rushed into the burning Twin Towers, determined to save lives. Heroes like Firefighter Stephen Siller, who ran through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel with 60 pounds of gear, and NYPD Officer Moira Smith, who guided people to safety, gave their lives that day to protect others. At the Pentagon, as Flight 77 crashed into the building, military personnel and civilians became rescuers, pulling their colleagues from the wreckage. Their bravery in the face of chaos saved countless lives. And on Flight 93, passengers like Todd Beamer and Mark Bingham took action, knowing their fate. They sacrificed their lives to prevent another attack, saving hundreds on the ground. Today, we honor not only the heroes of 9/11 but also the nearly 3,000 innocent lives lost and the families left behind. Their courage, sacrifice, and resilience will never be forgotten. #september11 #911heroes

As we transition back into the school year, we take a moment to reflect on some of the most profound and impactful moments from the road. We understand the power of conversation, especially as it pertains to mental health. In many ways, we see it most clearly when we engage with young people. Whether it’s discussing struggles with self-harm, substance abuse, physical violence, or simply the veterans they care about, young people are eager to open up and have meaningful conversations about their mental health. Let’s make sure we’re listening. 

A thought about veterans and mental health:   With a history of selflessness and challenges, many veterans are uniquely positioned to lead by example. We say we’d never ask someone to do something we haven’t done or wouldn’t do ourselves. Often when we think about mental health issues, we minimize our own struggles to focus on those we see as needing more help. Even on airplanes, we’re told to put on our own oxygen masks before helping others.   By taking care of ourselves, we’re better positioned to support those around us, whether in the veteran community or beyond. As leaders, we must know where we're going if we plan to walk out front. From teen mental health to substance abuse issues, from post-retirement depression to survivors of assault, there is an opportunity for us to make life a little more bearable for those around us. Peace is found in the process.   - Jaymes Poling

Opening Monologue to Modern Warrior LIVE 👆 —— There are countless unique motivations to seek out combat. But under fire, the individualism melts away, and we are forged into one weapon with one purpose. The selflessness, adrenaline, and clarity of mind leave many of us feeling like we left the best versions of ourselves on the battlefield. In each other, we see the reflections of who we were. - Jaymes Poling Modern Warrior LIVE Created by Dominick Farinacci & Jaymes Poling Directed by Emmett Murphy

We salute the NACVSO _OFFICIAL whose County Veterans Service Officers are the first responders to the veteran community. Their compassionate and specialized knowledge makes a world of difference for veterans and their families. Modern Warrior LIVE is honored to partner with and perform for such dedicated advocates. #VeteransAdvocacy #NACVSO #ModernWarriorLIVE Nichole Coleman Christopher Hinton Edward Zackery Rachel Woody Jane Roland Kimberly Shalloo

Thank you to the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Forces program for your support of Modern Warrior LIVE, and for this review. This grant has enabled us to engage veterans, caregivers and their family members in our EXPERIENCE program, and to bring our production to multiple cities. We appreciate the important work you all do supporting veteran communities. The National Veterans Memorial and Museum

We recently brought Modern Warrior LIVE to the beautiful Forest Roberts Theatre in Marquette, Michigan, bringing together resources and leadership from across the state. The event created a gathering of community, support, and important resources provided by Vet Centers, Soles4Vets, and Mission 6 Dogs. A special thank you to Rachel Woody for bringing everyone together, and to Diana, Eric, Brandon and Jay – you all were a wonderful team to work with. It's always inspiring to see the beautiful work our director Emmett Murphy does for the set design and multimedia integration, which adds another layer of impact to the experience. We enjoyed having pianist Chris Pattishall and bassist Jeremiah Hunt join the production for the first time. Shenel Johns, Gabe Jones and Will Blaze, who have been with us for a while now, always sound wonderful. We loved visiting beautiful UP, Michigan! Dominick Farinacci Jaymes Poling Todd Flournoy

We were honored to be invited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the United States Department of Defense Suicide Prevention Conference to present our Modern Warrior LIVE arts and storytelling model. Our presentation highlighted how this model empowers, connects, and mobilizes communities. Surrounded by leading voices and organizations in the veteran suicide prevention space throughout the week, we gained valuable insights and new ideas on integrating our model into upstream care. Seeing the Face The Fight team, a coalition we are part of that aims to reduce veteran suicide by half over the next six years, was wonderful. We extend a heartfelt thank you to Babs Chase and Abigail Haigh for your ongoing support and invaluable guidance as we strive to maximize our impact as coalition members. Shawn Moore, LMSW, Terri Tanielian, and Heather O'Beirne Kelly, PhD - your work is truly inspiring. Brian Hurley and the entire Ward Circle Strategies team has been so helpful over the years, especially introducing us to Todd Flournoy, who has helped to surround our mission with the right people and organizations who are doing vital work in mental health care. Vocalist Shenel Johns has been with us since the inception of the production, and it has been fantastic to have pianist Richard Johnson join us for the last few performances! Modern Warrior LIVE Created by Dominick Farinacci & Jaymes Poling Directed by Emmett Murphy

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT: Modern Warrior LIVE is grateful to be an official member of the Face The Fight Coalition led by USAA, the @Elizabeth Dole Foundation Reach Resilience and the Humana Foundation aimed at reducing veteran suicide in half over the next six years. Our immersive arts model gives veterans and their families a platform to share their story of trauma and their resilient path forward, EMPOWERING, INFORMING and CONNECTING communities, and ACTIVATING individuals in need to connect with their local and national mental health partners. We look forward to doing our part to highlight the vital resources available around the country through this coalition. Celebrating its one-year a few weeks ago, FTF has already made significant progress in uniting those organizations from across the country to force multiply and unite for this critical purpose. We share FTF’s commitment to supporting the military and veteran community and breaking down the stigma that prevent individuals from seeking the services they need. Next week, Modern Warrior LIVE is proud to join Face the Fight and other organizations from around the country at the annual VA/DoD Veteran Suicide Prevention Conference: Reimagining Suicide Prevention - to present our approach to engage and connect. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs United States Department of Defense Dominick Farinacci Jaymes Poling Todd Flournoy #FacetheFight #mentalhealth #modernwarriorlive #healbridgethrive