NAMI-Yolo will present a special event, “Madhouse Rhythm” with Joshua Walters, to welcome the new year on Wednesday, Jan. 4, at the Odd Fellows Hall, 415 Second St. in Davis.

Doors open at 7 p.m. with the performance starting at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, but a donation of $5 is suggested. Light refreshments will be provided.

Walters is a bipolar comedian whose work explores language, creativity, beat-boxing and madness. His solo shows are a mash-up of comedy, intimate reflection and unpredictable antics.

Funny, intense, sometimes unsettling, “Madhouse Rhythm” debuted to critical acclaim in 2008. It has since played to sold-out audiences in San Francisco and Berkeley’s Marsh Theater.

A collage of Walters’ experiences living with bipolar disorder, this performance includes beat-boxing, stand-up comedy and circus. Walters is known to experiment with visceral and highly energetic forms, which are yet deeply grounded in his background as a theater artist. “Madhouse Rhythm” is the story of someone who has flipped “inflicted” into “gifted,” and coined “mental illness” into “mental skillness,” a news release said.

Walters irreverently challenges traditional views of mental illness. His show has had great impact in the theater and mental health community and is now included as part of the performance and disability studies curriculum at UC Berkeley.

NAMI-Yolo provides advocacy and support for people living with mental illness and their families; and education and awareness for all people in our community. They are associated with NAMI California and NAMI National (the Nation’s Voice on Mental Illness), for whom Walters has performed numerous times nationwide.

For more information, call (530) 756.8181 or visit www.namiyolo.org.

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