Michael Cusumano was a luminary figure at the American Ballet Theatre in New York City and had a stellar career ahead of him, but trauma from his past prevented him from fully realizing his artistic and professional potential. Over time, he found refuge and liberation by assuming an alter ego: a sparkly turban-wearing, Russian ballet instructor named Madame Olga. By slipping into this ostentatious character, Michael discovers a way to both embrace himself as an artist and reconcile his past, giving aspiring dancers a place to flourish and being “the mentor” he never had for himself.
For so many American high schoolers, prom is a rite of passage in all its high-expectation, love-filled, well-coiffed, abundantly photographed glory. But for LGBTQ generations that grew up in the decades before the Stonewall Riots, prom was emblematic of the exclusion and fear of living in a world they could not experience as their authentic selves. At Triangle Square, a haven for LGBTQ retirees in Hollywood, California, the idea of a “senior” prom has taken on an entirely new meaning. Tapping into their teenage selves, these liberated seniors ready themselves for the hottest event on the Triangle Square social calendar, reflecting back on who they were and how far they’ve come makes their prom night all the sweeter.
Howard Mordoh, 69, is a retired clinical laboratory scientist, a southern California native, and possibly the world’s biggest concert enthusiast. Self-described as a “professional audience,” Howard has been a notorious fixture of the Los Angeles music scene for decades, attending five to eight concerts per week since the 1970s and always dancing to his fullest. Easily recognizable thanks to his long white hair and spirited dance style, Howard’s love of live concerts spans genres and venues, just as long as he can keep dancing. With the cancellation of live concerts in 2020 due to COVID-19, Howard has had to get more and more creative in order to keep dancing. The Dancing Man inhabits Howard’s unique lifestyle and passion for concerts and explores the trauma of suddenly losing not only life’s purpose but the essential human connection.
Poet AKeem Rollins, known for his viral slam poetry piece “Suicide Note,” shares the story behind the poem — kicked out of his home at 14 after coming out to his mother, he faced bullying, homelessness and depression. After receiving emergency mental health care, he finished writing “Suicide Note” with the speaker’s decision to live and has since become a vocal mental health activist.
In this episode of OUT OF THE DARK, mental health activist Hannah Lucas shares the story of her chronic illness, struggles with anxiety and depression, and suicidal ideation, leading her to develop the notOK app with her brother. The app, which now has more than 100,000 users, provides users a digital panic button to let trusted contacts know they’re “not ok.”
Featuring the personal story of Olympic shot putter Raven Saunders, this OUT OF THE DARK film explores the intensity of Raven’s 2016 Olympic experience, her childhood trauma, and the pitfalls of celebrity that challenged her mental health. After receiving care for depression, Raven spoke out about her struggles and became a leading advocate for mental health dialogue among athletes.
