UNRAVELLED BRAIN HEALTH FESTIVAL To Premiere At The Wallis

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts will host the world premiere of UnRavelled, a new multi-media play by award-winning playwright Jake Broder, as the centerpiece of the UnRavelled Brain Health Festival October 17–19, 2025.

The three-day event blends art and science to raise awareness of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the most common form of dementia in people under 60 and the condition that actor Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with.

At the heart of the festival is UnRavelled, directed by James Bonas, which dramatizes the remarkable true story of Canadian painter and scientist Dr. Anne Adams and French composer Maurice Ravel, both of whom lived with FTD and produced groundbreaking artistic works during their illnesses. The play stars Lucy Davenport, Andrew Borba, Leo Marks, Tracey A. Leigh, and Larry Poindexter, with live music performed by Rachel Iba, Michelle Elliott Rearick, Aron Kallay, Nathaniel Edison, and Randy Gloss.

Alongside the production, audiences can explore a wide range of events and exhibits, including:

• Panel discussions with leading medical experts, caregivers, and advocates from organizations such as Cedars-Sinai, UCLA, UCSF, and the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.

• Interactive displays simulating the experiences of those living with dementia, developed by For Their Thoughts.

• The first major exhibition of Dr. Anne Adams’ paintings, accompanied by brain scans showing the neurological changes connected to her creativity.

• The Redwood Forest, a reflective installation in The Wallis’ Sculpture Garden honoring caregivers.

• Resources provided by Alzheimer’s Los Angeles, BrightFocus Foundation, Hilarity for Charity, Lilly Pharmaceuticals, and other partners.

Los Angeles Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Hollywood Bowl)

6% of votes

2. HEATHERS (Backyard Playhouse: Treetop Production)

5.9% of votes

3. HAIR (Conundrum Theatre)

5.3% of votes

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