Colleen Helmstetter served as an Army nurse at the 67th Evac Hospital, Qui Nhon, Viet Nam from 1970-71. She married Patrick in 1973 and they have three grown children. She retired from nursing just last year. She was diagnosed with PTSD in 1998, and became involved with this writing project as part of her healing process.

Sharon Mann is so happy to be working on her second Well Arts project, and to be partnered with such a wonderful and talented writer! This show on PTSD is such an important one. Hopefully we can all learn about the effects that war brings and that we all need to learn from the past and live in peace. “Give Peace a Chance.”

Ed Martens lives in the Hillsboro area, is married, a father and a grandfather and a Vietnam Vet. I would like to thank my family, especially my wife, for their support during this process.

Susan Jonsson feels very lucky to be doing her third Performing Wellness. A founding member and President of The Well Arts Institute, she is a working actress in the Portland area, and has her own company, Dragons By Design. Susan is also a Registered Nurse at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital. She thanks her husband Ansel and her family for their love and support...especially her grandson, Patrik!

Eran Deran is a Vietnam Veteran (1968-1969). An infantry medic, his experience in Vietnam was the worst and best of his life. Two years ago he found the VA and thus began the final chapter in his 37 year search for peace, culminating in his participation in the Well Arts Institute writing group. Writing about his experiences has been rewarding, empowering and healing.

Michael Teufel is a founding Board Member of the Well Arts Institute and has been blessed to have participated in three other Performing Wellness productions. Michael has been acting in Portland since his return to this country in 1996. Michael expresses deep and sincere gratitude and sheer awe for Eran's courage, dignity, and grace. The world is a better place because of his place in it and his creation of this work. Thanks, Eran! And to my friend Laura and Mom, you are with me always.

Jason Hoffman would like to thank Kate Hawkes, Ashlee Whitehead, and Chris Murray. Jason served six years in the US Navy between the Iraq Wars. He is a painter and a poet.

Chris Murray is thrilled to be part of this incredibly important project. He is the Director of Marketing at Stark Raving Theatre, and has performed as an actor at Stark Raving Theatre, Triangle! Productions, Portland Center Stage, CoHo Theatre, The Backdoor Theatre and others. He will be performing in this summer's Much Ado About Nothing at Quintessence Theatre. Love to Julie, my guiding star.

Patrick Helmstetter served in the US Navy with the SeaBees as a diver and heavy equipment operator, for 2 tours, 1969 and '70. He is married to Colleen with 3 children. He is probably one of the few veterans of VietNam who voluntarily spent R/R in-country in order to be with his wife to be! Thank you to the Well Arts and Kate for helping with healing and catharsis through creating and sharing this story.

Doug Mace is a devout fisherman and haunts the Deschutes River throughout the season. This is Doug's third appearance with Performing Wellness and he is honored to be again helping a veteran's story come to the stage. He has appeared in many productions throughout the Northwest over the years, most recently Merchant of Venice at Portland Center Stage, Moon for the Misbegotten and The Weir. (The last two for which he won a Drammy Award.)

Sean Lewis was raised in a military family. He enlisted in the US Army after studying Stage Design in college. Now a disabled veteran of the first Gulf War, he occupies his time with life as a single parent, computer jockey, and activist. Sean would like to thank Well Arts, Kate, Ashlee, and Skeeter for this opportunity to bring life to his personal stories.

Skeeter Greene is very happy to be working with Kate and Wellness again. Thank you, Kate. Skeeter's most recent work was in Passin' Art's Flyin' West in the role of Miss Leah. She wishes to thank all the writers involved, especially Sean, for sharing their lives. She also thanks husband, Vincent, and sister, Roberta, for their wonderful support.

Sharon Rothenfluch Cooper, wife of 46 years, mother of four, grandmother of six is a published poet with her book, Reach Beyond. Well Arts has given her the opportunity to speak as the wife of a Korean War veteran and how his experiences have affected their personal lives as a family. It has been a cathartic experience bringing her deepest feelings to the light of day thus allowing healing to begin. She would like to thank actors Sarah Dresser and Damon Kupper for their moving performance of her work.

Damon Kupper is an actor, educator, activist and a recent addition to both the Portland theatre community and the Well Arts Institute. He has worked as a drama therapist with the Stop-Gap Theatre Company in Los Angeles as well as a street and stage performer both locally and internationally. Over the past few years, Damon has also been employed as a theatre arts instructor at El Camino College in CA and at various after school arts programs. Damon's most important role, however, is as a new husband to his fantastic wife Liz.

Sarah Dresser's first appearance with The Well Arts Institute is Soldier's Heart. What an incredible group of people. Sarah received her Bachelors in Theatre from Oregon State University and her MFA in Theatre from the University of Georgia. She has been acting in Portland for a long, long time. Thank you to all at Well Arts, the actors and especially our writers. Sharon C., your poetry sings, I am honored to be your voice.

Will Campbell is a Gulf War I veteran, a fifth generation Oregonian, an artist and a peace activist.

John Adams Morrison is very happy to be working with Well Arts. Born and raised in Portland, John has worked with The Storefront Theatre, The Dalles Theatre Center, Seattle Rep., Old Globe Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Portland Rep., A.R.T., and recently performed for Cygnet's Vitriol and Violets at The Lakewood Theatre.

Ashlee Whitehead is Vice President and Director of Research with the Well Arts Institute and a PTSD counselor and research coordinator at the Portland VA Medical Center. Ashlee has been honored to co-facilitate and now perform in PWVII. Thanks to Kate and the writers for involving me in this tremendous experience! Also to my husband Sean for his support and love.

Valerie Moore earned her B.A. in Theatre from Lewis & Clark College and completed an intensive course from L'Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris. She taught and performed with TheatrElan, and The Hayes-Marshall School of Theatre in Portland. Valerie is on The Well Arts Board of Directors, and was a writer for Performing Wellness V.

Liz Gustafson is pleased to join Well Arts for this performance. It is her first acting experience and she is excited to work with such a talented and cooperative group. She would like to thank her husband Damon for his constant encouragement and support.