“One of our girls said, ‘We should totally do a talent show,’ just messing around,” says Anika Cooper, founder of Simply Grace, the local sober living residence that will be the beneficiary of the Feb. 7 event. “And then a year later I was talking to some people, and Lindsey [Rayl], who is actually with Foundations Recovery [Network], was like, ‘Oh, I want to help!’ Next thing I know, she got a venue.”
Two of Simply Grace’s residents, as well as one of its alumni and another member of the recovery community, will take the stage as part of the talent show, Cooper says. Videos explaining each performer’s background will accompany their performances, and special guests, such as social media notables Collechie and Joe Nester, are scheduled to appear. The winner of the talent show will have the opportunity to perform live on M2 The Rock, a local radio program that covers the recovery community. Michael Molthan, the show’s host, will serve as one of the judges, along with local talent scout and vocal coach, Linda Septien.
“These aren’t people that look like what you would think of and I think it’s important to showcase that addiction isn’t just one thing. It can affect anybody. It’s unbiased,” says Rayl, a representative of Foundations Recovery Network.
Foundations will partner with Simply Grace to put on Recovery’s Got Talent. And Rayl herself was integral in getting it booked on the same stage that will host The Beach Boys, John Cusack and former David Bowie bandmates later this year. Having performed in dance recitals at The Majestic Theatre as a child, the venue was the first she thought to contact. And after an inordinate number of phone calls, the venue agreed.“These aren’t people that look like what you would think of and I think it’s important to showcase that addiction isn’t just one thing. It can affect anybody. It’s unbiased." – Lindsey Rayl
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“Normally they don’t do little shows like this,” Cooper says. “But they liked what we were doing and what Simply Grace is about and that we were bringing the recovery community in, and they allowed us to do it there.”
And the community seemingly agrees as well. An anonymous donor purchased every remaining ticket to the event in advance, to allow people in sober living facilities (and everyone else in Dallas) to see the show free of charge. Rayl says the seats are going fast.
“We just always wanted to do something like this, because there are so many girls in our house that are so talented,” Cooper says. “Substance abuse took their dreams of doing anything like that, and so we thought it would be cool to be able to showcase them and let them try that again.”
