NEW YORK—Phoenix House presented a documentary movie Young @ Heart at United Artists Theatre in Manhattan on Thursday, June 26. The movie is about an all senior band, the Young @ Heart Chorus, singing classic rock songs and performing on stage.
The film included the three months journey before their production of Alive and Well concert. Two male members died during the time of filming, and this movie is in memory of these two and another female member who died not long after the concert.
Ticket revenue for this film in NY will go to the Phoenix House Impact program to help children in NY who are struggling with drug and alcohol abuse.
Before the movie began, David A. Deitch from Phoenix House, Steve Martin from the Chorus and two teenagers, Angelica and Joe, who were treated by the Phoenix House Impact program, joined the audience in a special panel discussion.
Deitch, a clinical and social psychologist who re-joined Phoenix House in 2007, started the panel by linking the importance of the movie and Phoenix House Impact program. Deitch asked each one of the three guests about the change of life in them and what gave them strength when facing hardships.
Martin told the story of how he got involved with the Chorus. His wife died 18 years ago and four years later, he met his current girlfriend. When someone asked his girlfriend that if she knows any crazy old man, she replied that she just know one. Martin then joined the band in 2000.
The audience clapped for Martin when he said, "I will be 80 years old this year."
"[Joining the band] has given me a wonderful desire to want to inspire other people, our age, to get off and do something," said Martin, "I'm happy to say that we have had a lot of wonderful feedbacks from geriatric organizations who are saying, 'Yes! At our age, we CAN do something; we CAN do more than watching the screen and CAN do more than commiserating and worrying about the aging factors.'"
Angelica, a student of the Phoenix House Impact program, said that other than father, mother and sister, her grandmother is the most important person to her.
"She really really understood me," said Angelica, "even if she's not there with me in person, she's still there with me."
Her grandmother died about one year ago. Angelica said that she knows exactly what her grandmother wanted for her, and that encouraged her. Angelica said, "she wanted me to learn form them [mistakes] and to be a better person I should knowledge to be."
She wrote a speech, "There's No Magic Pill," recently, and her teacher told her to make more copies of the speech. She said that her teacher is another supportive person to her.
Another student form the Impact program, Joe, also spoke at the panel. He said that he was lost before and turned into a cold-hearted man.
But Joe found his way back; many friends showed up and clapped for him at the theatre. "For me, if people believe I can do it, that's my motivation," said Joe.
Young @ Heart Chorus was formed in 1982 and all members were tenants of an elderly housing project in Northampton, MA. In 1983, they had their first stage production. Now they're performing all over America.
The current members range in age from 72 to 88. None of the members were part of the original band in 1982 anymore.
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