According to the National Mental
Health Association, bipolar disorder is often difficult to recognize and
diagnose. It causes a person to have a high level of energy,
grandiose thoughts or ideas and impulsive or reckless behavior. These symptoms may feel good to a
person which can lead to denial that there is a problem.
Another reason bipolar
disorder is difficult to diagnose is that its symptoms may appear to be
part of another illness or attributed to other problems, such as
substance abuse, poor school performance, or trouble in the workplace.
Sanchez, like most, first
experienced the symptoms in his late twenties. Thus began a year-long,
tumultuous roller coaster that had the Long Island native bouncing
between the peak of manic euphoria and abysmal depression. From pacing in the basement of his home at all hours of the night to
uncontrollable sobbing, it was an intolerable nightmare that - like Bram
Stoker's infamous vampire - slowly drained the then 29-year old into a
desolate state of mind that had taken its toll on family and friends.
Treatment included
medications (mood stabilizers such as lithium and depakote) along with a
combination of individual and group therapy. He quickly realized he was
not alone and just how common the illness was
...just as equally as it was
misunderstood.
While undergoing treatment, and with a daily journal that
was becoming more detailed and emotionally cathartic as the
days progressed, Sanchez decided to confront the illness
head on in a way that he was most familiar with and one he
hoped would provide more awareness on a large scale - live
theater.
That's when a figure began to take shape: a
combination everyman and larger than life persona that would
represent two extremes in the human personality.
as shown with the wardrobe
that would become his onstage trademark.
"Bipolar 2
disorder. How do you like them apples?
I guess
it's pretty serious if they have to stick a number
nexf to it.
Then again,
that could come in handy. I could be walking down
the
street and
some guy could say to me that he has bipolar
disorder.
I could
always say, screw you pal. I've got the sequel."
-Joey Tucci
By March of
2003, the first draft of "Tuxedo Joe" was
completed. Then designed as a one-man show, the
production examined the eclectic life of
fictional funnyman and rising stage comic Joey Tucci: a crude, bombastic but troubled performer
who begins an arduous journey of self- discovery
after being diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder.
Through outrageous humor and bittersweet
drama, Joe would take the audience on an
oscillating voyage that put the personal
moments of his life - all of which came
from the playwright's own experiences -
in front of the world for all to see. From schoolyard bullies, little league
nightmares to discovering the magic (and
escape) of comedy, Joe (Sanchez) emptied
his heart and soul over the course of
the show's 90-minute running time
...with absolutely no intermission.
The play was first performed on
October 12, 2003 at the
Allen Theater in Annville,
Pennsylvania. Directed by local
playwright, screenwriter and filmmaker
Todd Klick, the show opened to rave
reviews and an equally enthusiastic
crowd.
Victoria Gennaro of Schuylkill
County, where Sanchez currently resides, had this to say about the play's first
performance:
If
your readers have not had the
opportunity to see a local
performance of
"Tuxedo Joe," they should seek this
play out. They will be impressed.
There is
no
need to travel to New York City to
see an inspiring performance and a
very
moving storyline with such an
incredible talent nearby.
Sanchez said he wrote the play for
others. It was evident that is
exactly what he
did.
His work, talent, unselfish and
"unself-conscious" sharing of his
gifts will
offer hope to many."
- Published in the Pottsville
Republican & Evening Herald
Letters to the Editor in October
2003.
Word of mouth quickly spread and an
encore presentation of the production
returned to the Allen in January of
2004.
"I
honestly think this production is
nothing short of riveting. The
subject is extremely moving and
worthy. It's a realistic window into
what many people face on a daily
basis."
-Allen Hicks, owner of the
Allen Theater
as quoted in the Harrisburg
Patriot News
January 16, 2004
After the
show's second run, Sanchez and the tuxedo
were set aside to pursue
further projects. Todd Klick went on to produce
and direct the acclaimed
documentary "Rough Cut"
which was featured on NBC's
Dateline in January
2006.
When the show was
invited to return again
in 2005,
Sanchez wanted to expand
the production to reach
an even wider audience. He wanted it be "a story
for anyone and everyone
because all of us has a
Joe inside. He is that
part of our personality
we enjoy but at the same
time struggle with
because it reminds us of
how we are prone to
extremes. We can be
giving but equally
selfish; caring yet
self-absorbed; elated
but hiding an inner
fury. He is our Yin and
Yang."
New characters and story
material were added
because, as Sanchez put
it, "I wanted the
audience to realize from
the beginning that this
is someone who is
exactly like them.
All too often society
associates mental
illness with someone who
is completed isolated
and withdrawn; the
extreme cases they hear
about or see in movies.
Look closer and you
realize that it could be
your next door neighbor, your family, your best
friend. It is something
that affects the masses.
"
That fact alone made it
important for Joe to
interact with key
characters who would
greatly impact his life
throughout the show.
"People need to see
that like them, we have
families, we have
friends, we have
relationships and
because of all that, we
share the same joys and
suffer the same
heartbreak. "
Joining forces
with an
exceptional cast
of local talent,
Sanchez opened
the one-man show
into a two-hour
(intermission
this time)
production that
once again
explored Joe's
rise, fall and
road to
recovery.
In the story, Joe is slowly
climbing the
success ladder
in New York City
thanks to the
hard work of his
devoted agent,
Peg Mendoza. Now
with a starring
role in an Off
Broadway
production, it
would appear he
has the world at
his feet. But
after frequent
clashes with the
show's director,
Harry Blake, and
repeated bouts
of unpredictable
behavior, Peg
pleads with Joe
to seek help.
He finds solace
in the care and
amity of
Elizabeth Gates;
a feisty, razor
sharp woman whom
like Joe, is the
first to tell it
like it is. It
is welcome and
endearing
friendship for
the offbeat
comic as
Elizabeth
quickly becomes
an encouraging, trusted figure
in his life.
As in the
original
production, Joe
confronts a
history of inner
demons that have
plagued him his
whole life. But
nothing prepares
him for the
diagnosis to
come.
From the
show's
hilarious
opening
moments
to its
tearful
finale,
"Tuxedo
Joe"
proved
once
again
that
humor is
indeed
split
down the
middle.
Thankfully, reaction for the new production was not. The revamped
play set
attendance
records
when it
returned
to the
Allen
Theater
on
Tuesday
November
15, 2005
and
gained
even
more
enthusiastic
reviews.
"This
play
will
go a
long
way
in
helping
erase
the
unfair
and
heartbreaking
stigma
associated
with
mental
illness."
-Published
in
the
Pottsville
Republican
&
Evening
Herald
"The
show
is
true,
honest,
heart-wrenching,
funny,
sad
and
up-lifting.
It
is
well
worth
attending."
-Published
in
the
Lebanon
Daily
News
In
the
summer
of 2006, the show
made its
final
performance
at the
prestigious
Whitaker
Center
for
Science
and the
Arts in
Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania.
Not only
did the
production
reunite
the cast
from the
Allen
Theater
presentation
but
introduced
three additional
new
characters
portrayed
by local
talents.
All of
them
would
come
together
again in
the
summer
of 2007
when
Tuxedo
Joe
would
begin
his
journey
on the
big
screen.
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