This has been one of the most rewarding projects I’ve ever been a part of. Working with the talented men and women who have brought these stories to life has been truly rewarding. Being a teacher is an honour that I get to participate in daily and allows me to be a role model and mentor to young people. This entire project came from experiences in the classroom and the impact that teachers can have on their students. It then went to a broader area of role models in general. I was fortunate to have some wonderful role models in my life from a young age that helped to shape my identity as a youth and now as an adult. Not every young person has that opportunity and indeed not every role model is ideal.

In a changing world, our young men are being called to ‘man up’ in an entirely different way to past generations. Now is the time for our young boys to be shaped into citizens of the world, who practice inclusiveness and equality, who model and celebrate their own vulnerability and that of their mates.

I had the privilege of interviewing many, many, many different people as part of this project and documenting their stories to make this performance. I thank them for their love, generosity, willingness and openness to share a piece of themselves and for being so trusting in the process of what I was trying to achieve.

The performance you are about to watch is a comment on men and the society that they live in and are a product of. I hope it sparks conversation and dialogue after watching it, and changes perceptions. As an audience member you will experience the good, the bad and the ugly about the perceptions of men. Leaving the call to arms of men for the next generation to Man Up in an entirely different way.

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If this show has brought up concerning feelings or thoughts for you,

the following resources may be helpful for you:

https://www.lifeline.org.au/ 

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https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/national-help-lines-and-websites

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 https://www.whiteribbon.org.au/understand-domestic-violence/what-is-domestic-violence/domestic-violence-definition/