Local playwright uses theater therapy to tackle mental health, domestic violence
JANS – Award-winning author, screenwriter, and playwright Felicia Kelly-Brookins is using the stage as a platform for healing, launching a powerful initiative merging storytelling with mental health advocacy.
On April 18, Kelly-Brookins hosted her first TheaterTherapy script reading vignette brunch at the Smith Robertson Museum, featuring her theater cast, the Brownie Collective, a creative extension of the S.A.F.E. S.P.A.C.E. Youth and Teen TheaterTherapy Foundation. The event focused on raising awareness about domestic violence while generating support for youth and teen mental health programming through her S.A.F.E. S.P.A.C.E. non-profit organization.
The brunch featured a live script reading exploring the emotional and psychological realities of domestic violence, followed by a moderated question-and-answer session. The discussion created space for open dialogue, allowing attendees to engage directly with the themes presented.
The event was supported by local businesses and individual sponsors, including venue sponsors Women For Progress of Jackson, MS. These sponsors showcased a growing community investment in mental health awareness.
Kelly-Brookins’ foundation continues that mission through free quarterly mental health discussions for youth and teens, hosted at the Medgar Evers Library. The next session is scheduled for May 9 at 11 a.m., titled “Duty, Distance & Damage: The Untold Stories of Military Families.” The program will explore critical topics including anxiety and depression, family strain and relationship challenges, the impact of deployment and separation, and the difficulties surrounding reintegration and transition.
The Brownie Collective will return later this month with another TheaterTherapy presentation. “The Pulpit & The Poison,” scheduled for May 28 at 6 p.m. This after hours social event on mental health will examine themes of emotional neediness, authority, and personal boundaries, continuing Kelly-Brookins’ commitment to addressing complex issues through immersive storytelling and guided discussion.
Tickets for the May 28 vignette are available through Zeffy. For additional information, community members may contact the Brownie Collective at thebrowniecollective@gmail.com.
