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Two weeks before rehearsal was supposed to start for “Randy Dandy’s Coaster Castle,” director Kathleen Capdesuñer left the production due to a family emergency. In desperation, the actors, designers and company of the Syracuse University Department of Drama searched for a new script.

They landed on “Touch(ed),” a play surrounding mental health struggles. The quick turnaround proved to be valuable, giving the actors real-life experience, according to the play’s lead Salma Mahmoud.

“The students here were excited for the challenge, they came ready to play, they didn’t let the shift get them down,” director Christine Albright-Tufts said. “Instead, they looked for the ways that the shift could be an opportunity.”

“Touch(ed)” opened on April 6 and will run until April 14. Set in an upstate New York cabin, “Touch(ed)” tells the story of a girl named Emma, who suffers from paranoia. She is taken out of the psych ward by her sister, Kay, who brings along her novelist boyfriend Billy. Together, the couple tries to acclimate Emma to normal life.

Albright-Tufts said “Touch(ed)” seeks to expose the realities of mental health struggles and their impacts on family life. With the help of experts, Albright-Tufts, along with cast members, participated in individual and collective research to better understand how to accurately portray these characters.

“One of the ways we have worked really hard to bring this text to life is by having really healthy and frank and safe conversations around the content,” Albright-Tufts said.

With tense scenes like those in the play, actors’ bodies as well as their minds were affected. To deal with the effects of the subject matter, they used various strategies – like wearing specific clothes only meant for rehearsal.

The actors were taught to “complete the cycle,” or doing something that allows your body and brain to realize the intensity of an acting moment is over. These actions could include taking a shower at the end of the day or stretching to release physical or mental tension, said Smith, who portrayed Kay.

Albright-Tufts said she began rehearsals with “tap-ins” and ended them with “tap-outs.” The cast prepared for their performances by “checking in,” asking each other comical questions like “If you were a Pixar character, what would you be?” before rehearsal. At the end of rehearsal the “tap-out” typically entailed a dance, stretch or other form of physical release.

Mahmoud said dealing with the dark nature of the content brought the small cast even closer together. By spending hours on difficult, important scenes, actors got to know each other and enjoyed working together.

The cast worked to be supportive of each other in a space where actors were emotionally vulnerable. With intense rehearsals of six-hour weekdays and eight-hour weekends, the material could weigh heavy on actors, Mahmoud said.

“I love those times when we can just be ourselves and enjoy each other’s company. I love spending time with (her cast mates),” Mahmoud said.

The purpose of “Touch(ed)” was to bring awareness about mental health into theater spaces and encourage people to get help if they need it – while maintaining a safe way for the audience to engage with the difficult topics, Albright-Tufts said.

“A play like this really allows people to see how real and raw the mental health crisis is, and I think that is so valuable,” Albright-Tufts said.

CORRECTION: In a previous version of this article, the play was stated to be a Syracuse Stage production. This is incorrect. The Daily Orange regrets this error.

Published on April 9, 2024 at 11:37 pm