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A THOUSAND WORDS
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MUSIC |
A Thousand Words - Intro by Bahar Royaee
(sample: "Auld Lang Syne," Old Scottish Air, recorded by Bill Spence & Fennig's All-Star String Band) For Neil 2019 (words on pain perception) by Jen Baker Unstuck in Time (words on chronic pain) by C. Neil Parsons Stitches (words on permanence) by Stefanie Lubkowski 5 Stages (words on that which cannot be unseen) by C. Neil Parsons Betrayal (words on moral injury) by Clover Nahabedian A Thousand Words - Outro by Bahar Royaee (sample: "Home Sweet Home," music by Henry R. Bishop, recorded by Bill Spence & Fennig's All-Star String Band) |
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Photos: Freddie Kelvin
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Vietnam photos by Chris parsons, SP4, us army
RESPONSES TO A THOUSAND WORDS
"The photos are inherently moving, aching with loss and tragic resonance for both the lives we see and the deeply troubled time in which they were taken."
- Winnipeg Free Press
"Autobiographical elements are artfully woven into repeated circling back to the combat photographer's visual and verbal impressions. An electronic score accompanies the performer's exhibition of his artistic skills as dancer and trombonist. The musical and choreographic commentary is abstract but emotionally vivid."
- Jay Harvey Upstage
"This very moving performance by C. Neil Parsons is also a very personal one... A fascinating look at the effects of trauma and how it can shape your life."
- The Jenny Revue
"It’s unlikely anyone will forget the tragic beauty of this very personal story of one man that resonates with the loss of thousands."
- Plays With John & Wendy
"Neil’s performance is raw and beautiful, as he gently brings you into both his and his father's life stories as they intertwine... This is a show I feel I need to see again to really digest it. Thank you for being so vulnerable in your art, Neil."
- Winnipeg Fringe Patron Review
"The photos are inherently moving, aching with loss and tragic resonance for both the lives we see and the deeply troubled time in which they were taken."
- Winnipeg Free Press
"Autobiographical elements are artfully woven into repeated circling back to the combat photographer's visual and verbal impressions. An electronic score accompanies the performer's exhibition of his artistic skills as dancer and trombonist. The musical and choreographic commentary is abstract but emotionally vivid."
- Jay Harvey Upstage
"This very moving performance by C. Neil Parsons is also a very personal one... A fascinating look at the effects of trauma and how it can shape your life."
- The Jenny Revue
"It’s unlikely anyone will forget the tragic beauty of this very personal story of one man that resonates with the loss of thousands."
- Plays With John & Wendy
"Neil’s performance is raw and beautiful, as he gently brings you into both his and his father's life stories as they intertwine... This is a show I feel I need to see again to really digest it. Thank you for being so vulnerable in your art, Neil."
- Winnipeg Fringe Patron Review
THANK YOU |
Hannah Spence
Laura Parsons, Spencer Parsons, Erik Parsons, Kathy Beach Parsons Bill Spence, Andy Spence Greg Jukes, Hilary Abigana Theresa Lang and everyone in the Boston Conservatory Contemporary Theater BFA program Thank you to the veterans who were willing to share their stories during my research for this project. 
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RESOURCES
THE EVIL HOURS: A Biography of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
by David J. Morris
THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.
ACHILLES IN VIETNAM: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character
by Jonathan Shay, M.D., Ph.D
SARA (sexual assault recovery assistant) a non-profit mental health tool
by Sara KM Kunz
"Most men have no idea how truly traumatic sexual assault is. The science on the subject is pretty clear: according to the New England Journal of Medicine, rape is about four times more likely to result in diagnosable PTSD than combat... And because there are currently no enduring cultural narratives that allow women to look upon their survival as somehow heroic or honorable, the potential for enduring damage is even greater."
- David J. Morris, author of The Evil Hours: a Biography of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
BLACK LIVES MATTER: Mental Health Resources for and by People of Color
by Reina Gattuso, clinically reviewed by Reshawna Chapple, Ph.D., LCSW
by David J. Morris
THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.
ACHILLES IN VIETNAM: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character
by Jonathan Shay, M.D., Ph.D
SARA (sexual assault recovery assistant) a non-profit mental health tool
by Sara KM Kunz
"Most men have no idea how truly traumatic sexual assault is. The science on the subject is pretty clear: according to the New England Journal of Medicine, rape is about four times more likely to result in diagnosable PTSD than combat... And because there are currently no enduring cultural narratives that allow women to look upon their survival as somehow heroic or honorable, the potential for enduring damage is even greater."
- David J. Morris, author of The Evil Hours: a Biography of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
BLACK LIVES MATTER: Mental Health Resources for and by People of Color
by Reina Gattuso, clinically reviewed by Reshawna Chapple, Ph.D., LCSW