Samuel A. Simon Returns To The New York Stage To Present Three Showcase Performances Of THE ACTUAL DANCE

Playwright and noted social justice warrior and one of the original members of Ralph Nader's first legal advocacy group in Washington, Samuel A. Simon, today announced that his hit show about transformative love, The Actual Dance, will return to APAP 2023 (taking place at The Midtown Hilton Hotel, 1335 Avenue of the Americas) this January, as the annual conference resumes in-person performances for the first time in over three years.

The Actual Dance is told through the eyes and heart of a husband as he struggles with what everyone expects to be his wife Susan's losing battle to breast cancer. There are two versions of the production. Version 1 stars Simon is directed by Gabrielle Maisels and features music by Eli Katz. Show 2 stars Chuck Obasi, is directed and choreographed by Kimani Fowlin, also with original music by Eli Katz.

The Actual Dance has toured internationally for ten years. In the hour-long performance with original music, the story takes the audience on an emotional and uplifting journey that rewards them with an unexpected happy ending, and a universal, life-affirming lesson of hope and faith. The play weaves through Sam and Susan's five decades of life together, from the moment they notice each other as teenagers, to the present day. The focus becomes that moment when Sam believes their story will end, and he (and the audience) experience the extraordinary metaphorical ritual of The Actual Dance, the "ultimate consummation" of their love.

Breast cancer has played a very big role in the Simon family life. Susan's mother died from breast cancer just one year after Susan and Sam were married. Sam's mother died from breast cancer in 1973. Sam's sister Marion and Susan's sister-in-law Rosalind are both breast cancer survivors. Susan attributes her survival to her belief that she would survive and to her commitment to physical fitness. Sam and Susan celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on August 23, 2016. Sam describes his work with The Actual Dance as his "fourth age."

Newly diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, Sam announced that he would showcase an excerpt from his new play, Dementia Man, a work in progress. Dementia Man lays bare the false narrative that all dementia is tragic and hopeless. His performance with dementia and the story itself serves as a vision for a world inclusive of and for people with dementia. An activist at heart, Simon has become active in the Dementia Friendly movement in the United States and see this work as part of the campaign to recast the tragedy narrative around people with various forms of dementia.

"The world at one time could not imagine that wheelchairs could be accommodated in every street, and in very store in the world, and yet it is largely true today. Or that the blind and deaf population could live equally among us. It is time we imagine a world equally adaptable for people with dementia. It is my hope that by getting on stage with this disease I can help articulate that vision and dream." Simon Says. The 2022 APAP performance

schedule for The Actual Dance and Dementia Man is as follows:

• Friday, January 13th at 10:20pm: The Actual Dance Showcase with Sam Simon, Midtown Hilton, Morgan Suite 2nd Floor

• Saturday, January 14th at 6:00pm: Dementia Man, A work-in-progress showcase with Sam Simon, Midtown Hilton, Gibson Suite, 2nd Floor.

• Saturday, January 14th at 10:20pm: The Actual Dance Showcase, with Chuk Obasi, 10:20 pm Midtown Hilton, Morgan Suite, 2nd Floor

• Sunday Jan 15TH at 7:30 pm (curtain) The National Opera Center, Rehearsal Hall, 330 Seventh Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001 10th Anniversary Performance, The Actual Dance, staring Chuk Obasi. Tickets: https://bit.ly/Jan15TAD

Chuk Obasi began taking on the role of Sam in The Actual Dance in 2016, drawn by the opportunity to re-imagine the telling of Mr. Simon's story after having previously viewed his performance several times prior. Obasi is an actor/director, dancer/choreographer, and writer/poet with over twelve years of professional experience nationally and internationally. He is also a teaching artist and public speaker, having participated in speaking engagements and artistic residencies on various topics and artistic disciplines at locations across the country. Obasi Holds a Bach- elor of Arts degree from SUNY Geneseo, where he studied communica- tion with a double minor in musical theatre and dance. Obasi currently serves as Artist in Residence at Intersections Interna- tional, choreographer for STAR Theatre at the Director's Company, and actor/writer with TE'A (Theatre, Engagement & Action). He has also recently worked with the National Dance Institute (Teaching Artist), Village Playback Theatre (Performer), and Galli Theatre (Actor). Recent works include Music concert A Drink with Death (Lyricist) at Feinstein's/54 Below; Critically acclaimed play Uniform Justice (Playwright/ Director), which he produced at the 2015 NY International Fringe Festival; Award-winning Feature films "The Depths" and "79 Parts" (Actor); Short film Rhubarb (Lead Actor); A 2016 arts residency at the Actor's Studio (Actor); And 2015 arts residencies at Irondale Theater, State University of New York at Geneseo, and Central College in Iowa. He has also been recently seen performing original spoken word poetry for The Diamond Empowerment Fund's 2016 and 2017 Gala in Las Vegas and at The Declaration Initiative 2016 Conference in Washington, DC. A New York native, born in Queens and raised in the Bronx, Obasi currently resides in Manhattan with his wife and two sons. He dedicates his performances of The Actual Dance to the memory of his friend Bobby Kashif Cox, lost to cancer but ever present in spirit.

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