The Little Man Inside: From the Stoop to the Stageopens June 25 at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center, where Pastor Taiwan Simmons hopes to spark a conversation about mental health in communities of color.The one-night-only pe rformance is the result of a two-year journey for Simmons, who said the project grew out of his faith and a desire to share his own story of childhood trauma, survival, and healing. Proceeds from the event will help support mental health and emotional wellness resources within Black and Brown communities."God said one day to me, I want you to learn how to tell your story," Simmons said.WATCH: Stabbed more than 100 times by his own mother, a Tampa pastor now uses that pain to heal others Taiwan Simmons uses stage play to inspire mens mental health awarenessThat story begins in the South Bronx, New York, where Simmons said he grew up without what he called the traditional American dream family. At 8 years old, he was stabbed more than 100 times by his mother, who he said suffers from a severe mental illness and had a mental break."I thought this can't be happening, Mommy, I yelled, Mommy, there was no response, I felt so alone and afraid and helpless," Simmons said in a TikTok video.Doctors told him that if the knife had gone 2 inches deeper, it would have struck his heart and killed him. He was placed in foster care, where he spent the next five years struggling with depression and low self-esteem.A turning point came when his cousin's girlfriend noticed him sitting outside with his head down and challenged him."Why do you always walk around with your head hanging low on?" Simmons said she told him. "This was my defining moment. She saw me, the real me that was hidden behind all the pain."From that moment, Simmons said he decided to move forward. He went on to earn a master's degree in organizational leadership and entrepreneurship, become an ordained and licensed pastor, a professional speaker, an author, and a mentor. He has been married for 30 years, owns a home, and runs a mental health counseling agency.The play, presented by Inside Reach Ministries, explores themes of trauma, parental wounds, forgiveness and emotional healing through the story of a man confronting the unresolved pain of his childhood. It features a cast of local performers and blends dramatic storytelling with faith-centered themes."This play is about the boy inside every man who needed something he never received," Simmons said. "Many men are taught to hide their pain. This story opens the door for healing conversations that families and communities desperately need. We are prepared to facilitate the healing that is needed in the Tampa Bay area."The production is designed to do more than tell his story. Simmons said specific scenes are written to challenge men of color to confront their own mental health."Mental health is not an option anymore. It's a necessity," Simmons said. "We put a lot of energy into our physical. The very thing that controls everything, the operating system, we oftentimes avoid."Simmons said men of color are often conditioned from childhood to suppress emotion and never show weakness, particularly those who grew up in inner-city environments."Growing up, that was a lot of the makeup in the character, and I had to, in a lot of cases, show no fear, not let somebody know that I was afraid, or people could really take advantage of you," Simmons said.He said that conditioning followed him into adulthood before he finally chose a different path."It wasn't until I got into my college years and really had some experiences that I decided that enough was enough and I couldn't operate the same way that I was operating," Simmons said.Throughout those early years, Simmons said his great-grandmother, the woman who raised him, never stopped planting seeds of encouragement."When you grow up, you're going to be something special," Simmons said she would tell him.As a Christian counselor, Simmons said he integrates his personal experience, professional training, and faith into his work with clients. He added that African American male counselors are rare enough in the mental health field that they are referred to as unicorns.His practice also employs another licensed clinical therapist, Lenorio Butler, who Simmons said grew up in Tampa, started with the agency as an intern in 2018, and worked his way to licensure over nearly four and a half years."We just look at ourselves and we embrace that. That is a calling and a mantle and a responsibility," Simmons said.Simmons said the response from the community, as he has promoted the play, has been deeply personal, including from members of his own cast."When I had some of the cast come over to me and be like, 'Man, I'm actually dealing with this right now,' that kind of was like, 'Okay, wow, God, you know what you're doing,'" Simmons said.He said the experience of watching others respond to his life story during rehearsals was difficult to put into words."It was scary, confirming, reassuring, and rewarding all at the same time, because everybody believes that their story or their life should mean something," Simmons said.To make it easier for audience members to take a next step after the performance, Simmons said local pastors and licensed clinicians will be available on site during intermission and after the show. A private space will also be set aside for anyone who wants to pray or speak with someone away from the crowd."Some of us are stubborn," Simmons said. "Our desire is that maybe after they get to the end of the play, then they'll see, wow, okay, you know what? I really see myself in this, and I need to really talk to somebody."Simmons said the play is not only for men of color, but for anyone who has carried unresolved pain."I want anyone who shows up, that's not just our men of color, that's also our women of color, that's also whether you're Caucasian or Asian, because we all face a similar challenge in our communities, just at different levels," Simmons said. "If you come, I want you to walk away laughing, crying, but really understanding that enough is enough, and we really need to be intentional about dealing with our mental health."Inside Reach Ministries is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening individuals, families and communities through mentorship, leadership development and mental health awareness. The organization also provides low and no-cost counseling to those in need.Sponsors for the event include Chick-fil-A, Sprouts, First Watch, Zio's New York Deli and Bakery, the Center for Manifestation, Oasis Church of Zephyrhills and the Florida Aquarium.A VIP reception runs from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and includes reserved seating, a meet and greet with the cast, and exclusive photo opportunities. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available here."I really believe and trust that God is going to do something amazing, not for me, but for people through me," Simmons said. ...read more read less