Artist Spotlight
Meet Elizabeth Addison
Elizabeth Addison is a multi-talented playwright, composer, and lyricist whose work bridges creative expression and addiction recovery.
As the 2025 Artist in Residence at the Together for Hope conference, she will present an excerpt from This is Treatment — a powerful, immersive theatrical performance inspired by her time at a residential treatment facility — that aims to inspire joy, build connections, heal communities, and remind us that moving forward sometimes requires looking back.
A Groundbreaking Artist in Recovery
Drawing from her own long-term recovery, Elizabeth understands the transformative power of storytelling and the performing arts. She dedicates her work to exploring this intersection, empowering others to share their narratives in an inclusive space for self-expression and growth.
Elizabeth has written three musicals inspired by her recovery journey, including Chasing Grace, which is set for an Off-Broadway run in 2025/26. Her upcoming performance, Louder Than Words: The Songs and Legacy of Jonathan Larson, will take place at the 92NY.
Beyond her creative career, Elizabeth speaks at conferences nationwide about the arts as a therapeutic tool and serves as a creative recovery coach with the Meghann Perry Group, facilitating storytelling workshops.
“Now, and for the past several years, I have traveled all over the country using my voice, my story, and my experience, to breathe life into others, to help reignite a spark of possibility, reclaim hopes and dreams, and support people in finding the courage to take the necessary steps to transform their lives.” - Elizabeth Addison
Her Collaboration with Grayken Center
Elizabeth has been deeply involved with the Grayken Center for Addiction. She contributed to an initial stage of the Substance Use Disorder and Anti-Racism (SUDA) Research Project which was conducted at Roxbury Community College. She also collaborated on a project funded by the BU Center for Anti-Racist Research to advance equitable treatment in residential addiction treatment settings.
Elizabeth serves as a member of the Grayken Center’s Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) Consultation Service, which provides consultation to addiction researchers to help ensure that their research reflects the needs of Black patients, and promotes recruitment/retention of diverse research participants.
Her work underscores the importance of storytelling in addiction treatment, creating spaces where individuals in recovery can express their journeys, find solidarity, and build resilience.
