Midland’s Arlo Welser opens up about journey with psychological sickness
Arlo Welser has solely written one play as an grownup – the opposite she wrote in second grade.
Whereas her first work by no means made it onto an elementary college stage, the one she wrote lately gained an award for Greatest One-Act Play at Artistic 360’s annual Artwork Speaks Competition, June 3-4.
The play, “The Crimson Checklist,” was primarily based on her and her husband within the dream.
“It takes place a few years sooner or later. The world is overpopulated and the federal government got here up with a manner for individuals to be humanely euthanized to make room,” mentioned Welser, of Midland. “The thought got here from a dream I had.”
Welser performed the principle character, Charlotte, within the one-act play. Login Free performed Charlotte’s boyfriend, William. Each Charlotte and William signed up for the federal government program, however all through the dialogue of the play, Charlotte modified her thoughts in a heartbreaking flip of occasions.
“My character chickened out – and he went by way of with it,” she mentioned.
The characters had been all working by way of this moral dilemma.
Along with the principle characters of Charlotte and William, Welser showcased totally different views together with a politician, grandfather and a newspaper editor.
The plot had the viewers on the sting of their chairs and tears had been shed when it was revealed that the federal government program wasn’t all it had been touted to be. By the point the reality was revealed, a number of individuals had already made the selection to be euthanised.
Welser’s one-act play gained her $100 a prize. She was completely satisfied concerning the end result of her one-act play at this yr’s Artwork Speaks Competition.
“It felt actually good; I used to be excited to have the ability to be in it,” she mentioned. “I don’t actually consider in my capability to make artwork, however this elevated my perception.”
A 2015 Dow Excessive graduate, Welser is just some lessons away from finishing a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Central Michigan College.
“I’ve taken a while off right here and there as a result of I battle with psychological sickness,” Welser mentioned.
When she carried out in “The Crimson Checklist,” Welser wore a short-sleeved shirt, revealing a number of scars on her arms. She opened up about her journey.
“I battle with fairly extreme melancholy, panic dysfunction and character dysfunction,” she mentioned. “I’ve been self-harming since 2013. It’s been a very long time, I’ve quite a lot of scars. I’ve been getting higher about not hiding myself.”
Welser has labored within the workplace at Artistic 360 since 2018. She realized concerning the nonprofit, which focuses on group arts and wellness, by way of her mom, Carol Rumba, who was the group’s govt director from 2014-2019.
“I really like the atmosphere, the inclusiveness, the group and the creativity,” Welser mentioned.
Welser shared extra about her journey.
“I struggled with anxiousness rising up. In 2011 my grandmother handed away, and that triggered a melancholy that by no means actually left me,” she mentioned. “I’ve come a great distance. I’ve tried a lot of prescription drugs. I went by way of inpatient residential therapy and outpatient programming. And I do quite a lot of artwork – pictures and portray.”
Welser’s household serves as a part of her help community. Rumba is retired whereas Welser’s father, Mark Turpin, is a sound and light-weight engineer for theaters. Her husband, Nolan Welser, works for Midland Public Colleges. She additionally has a cat named Clamp and a tortoise known as Crush.
Along with pictures and portray, she likes writing and taking part in theater. This summer season, she acted in “The Mousetrap,” carried out by Hath Summer time Gamers. She performed the a part of Mrs. Boyle.
Final fall, she was in “Males on Boats” at Midland Heart for the Arts. She performed the a part of Bradley.
“This was a play that explored the Grand Canyon with John Powell,” she mentioned. “It’s about people who find themselves excluded from historical past.”
Welser additionally likes dinosaurs. On July 30, she and her husband left for California, the place they visited Jurassic World at Common Studios Hollywood. In addition they visited La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.
“I’m an enormous Jurassic Park fan – an enormous dinosaur fan,” she mentioned.
For individuals who additionally could battle, she has a message.
“Maintain working in your well being, maintain preventing,” she mentioned. “Maintain preventing. Even when the times are darkish, discover the little bits of sunshine. You might be liked and you might be worthy.”
For anybody experiencing a psychological well being emergency, Midland County Group Psychological Well being has a toll-free disaster hotline at 1-800-317-0708. The group may also be reached at 989-631-2320.
The Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline will be accessed at 1-800-273-8255 or by dialing 988.
