On a cold Michigan night, over one hundred men bared their souls. These students were members of the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club and they were performing their 160t h Annual Fall Concert focused on mental health advocacy.
This show started with a director’s desire to do Glee Club like never before: a collaboration between a skilled composer, young men with a willingness to be vulnerable, and, of course, a tweet. When director Mark Stover saw the tweet, “You are enough, you are so enough, it’s unbelievable how enough you are,” he knew that he had to incorporate it into their fall concert. Ultimately, this sentence would become the foundation for the third piece in A Mental Health Suite composed by Aron Accurso, an esteemed composer and conductor who has been involved in Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, among other notable works. From there the men of the Glee Club practiced the concert pieces tirelessly, perfecting their selection and exploring their inner selves in the process. It was important to the Club and to Mr. Stover that the Clubbers have a space to work through the emotions brought up by the songs, so there was regularly time set aside for them to simply share their stories and know others were listening. As part of working through the personal connections to the subject matter and as a way to further advocate for mental health awareness, the Club collaborated with a few local organizations.
Throughout the weeks leading up to the show, the Clubbers participated in The Chalkboard Project , opening up about how damaging words had impacted their mental health. For Jack Riley, a junior serving as Publicity Manager Emeritus, his word was “enough” — something he never felt like he was. He described chasing an unattainable ideal, that he could be “the perfect person if [he] just tried harder.” Luckily for Jack, he had friends who listened to him and guided him to professional resources when he needed them the most. Although his struggles will never fully fade, he now knows that he is “not perfect, but enough.” Sharing these images and stories was a way for the Club to advertise their performance, but more importantly, it was a way to start a conversation about mental health on campus.
While the journey of “You Are Enough” began long before that brisk night, in the earlier years of these men’s lives, the heaviness of the past and hope for the future were both tangible in Hill Auditorium. The concert opened with a journal reading by a Clubber, the first but not the last of the night, ensuring that there would never be a dry eye in the room. Past traumas were exposed for the audience, allowing us all to feel connected by shared experiences. As the Clubbers sang about their personal insecurities, you couldn’t help but feel their words tug at your heartstrings and bring tears to your eyes. The group transitioned seamlessly from soulful ballads about having someone in your life who serves as your rock, to complicated pieces about how it feels to struggle with destructive thoughts. The Men’s Glee Club was incredibly moving, clearly accomplishing their mission to raise awareness about mental health, and absolutely deserving of the standing ovation that closed out their performance. I commend the men of the Glee Club for having the courage to share their most vulnerable selves with all of us.
Based on the sniffling that could be heard during the concert, a large portion of the audience could relate to the experiences of the Clubbers. While I’m glad that the concert had the intended impact, I’m also concerned about how many students here have struggled with mental health issues and potentially suicidal ideations. This illuminated for me, once again, how urgently we need a campus dialogue on mental health. We need to be able to discuss our worries openly, without fear of shame or judgement, and we need access to professional resources. Most importantly, we need these resources to be available in a timely manner and for students to seek help before they are in crisis. Overall, the Men’s Glee Club did an excellent job exposing the need for additional action on campus regarding mental health and reminding students that help is here for them.
Additional Resources:
Garrett’s Space CAPS Crisis Hotline: 734-764-8312 The Trevor Project : 1-866-488-7386
If you are in crisis, please call the N ational Suicide Prevention Lifeline : 1-800-273-8255 You are not alone — I will be your standing stone .
Sources
https://www.facebook.com/UMMGC/photos/a.243516049078627/2444970592266484/?type=1&theater https://giphy.com/gifs/mic-kesha-lgbtq-abuse-QEcM9WbMW4p1u https://giphy.com/gifs/rainbow-discussion-bydescription-Svxch80J6swzC https://giphy.com/gifs/mic-emoji-emojis-abused-eum1EKrNPGd5m