Bi-Polar
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JOSH CARTRIGHT lives in a state of unnerving chaos. One day he’s ready to conquer the world and may find himself either on a skateboard deliriously gliding against busy traffic, or naked in a karaoke bar, screaming at the top of his lungs, or on the street greeting total strangers claiming he’s a world renowned author. The next day he’s in a dark hole from which he believes he will never escape and may find himself curled up on his apartment bed, or mutilating himself out of self-disgust, or attempting suicide.
After a fist fight in a bar, his confidant and ex-wife MELANIE gets him out of jail while pleading with him to get help.
Ignoring her pleas, Josh arrives at his apartment with Melanie by his side. As he crawls over the scattered newspapers, pizza boxes and other litter, he flops on his bed with desperation on his face, hoping that Melanie will keep him company.
As a skilled writer, Josh hangs onto his dream of one day being a Pulitzer Prize winning author, but gets fired from his job as a corporate writer and gets thrown out of his publisher’s office for his past lies and failures. Demoralized and beaten, Josh drowns himself in booze, drugs and self-condemnation. Staggering on the street, Josh is once again rescued by Melanie who has him admitted to the hospital where he’s misdiagnosed with a Substance Use Disorder.
He challenges the staff and their treatment and is a pain to everyone. Arriving on the scene is REEF, his closest friend, who convinces him to leave the hospital against doctor’s orders, to tie on a good one.
At a dance hall, he eventually meets BOOTS/JILL, a hooker putting herself through school to become a Psychologist. Their wild sex and honest conversation inspire them to live together on the condition that Josh doesn’t interfere with her nightly escapades. Inevitably one of these escapades leads to her unfortunate homicide.
With the loss of work, the loss of his apartment because of unpaid rent, the loss of Boots, he finds himself on a sand pile under a bridge. With no reason to live, Josh slices his wrists.
He’s once again admitted to the hospital and this time is diagnosed with a Bi-Polar Disorder. There he encounters his three antagonists, the hardened DR. HYDRO, a Psychiatrist who believes that shock treatment is the answer to what ails you, the cunning NURSE RATCHED, the most dangerous professional on the floor, and the enormous GOLIATH, a male attendant who uses muscle to achieve his ends. Josh also meets his allies THE BRAIN, a longstanding patient who knows all the ropes and the caring DR. STEIN, a highly respected and skilled Psychologist.
Until his ultimate departure, what Josh experiences in the hospital can only be described as astonishing.
This absorbing and revealing drama that has universal appeal describes in vivid and gripping detail the ongoing struggles with a
Bi-Polar Disorder. But with relentless determination and the right kind of intervention and support, positive changes can occur. The audience will come away uplifted and heartened, knowing that with a Bi-Polar Disorder you can lead an enriched life and fulfill your dreams