UNRAVELLED to Kick Off National Tour at Penn Live Arts 2026/27

UnRavelled, an award-winning play offering a unique perspective on the extraordinary power of the human mind in the face of neurological disease by noted playwright Jake Broder (Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, Our American Hamlet), will kick off its national tour with the East Coast premiere as part of the Penn Live Arts 2026/27 Season at the Harold Prince Theatre, Annenberg Center, surrounded by UnRavelled Outreach, a fascinating and enlightening brain health festival offering a deeper dive into the play's theme. The brain health festival, led by Outreach Director Samantha Rose Williams, offers workshops and outreach opportunities that accompany the play's performances, including pre- and post-performance activities, informative talks, art therapy workshops, and interactive displays for audience members to further engage with the play's discussions around dementia-inspiring creativity and hope.

UnRavelled Outreach is a mission-driven, evidence-based, advocacy-minded 'festival' of arts programming that runs concurrently with the award-winning play UnRavelled to transform the conversation around dementia, using the intersection of art and brain health to spread a message of hope, possibility, and creativity in the FTD ecosystem and beyond. Thanks to the support of sponsors, all programming is FREE.

UnRavelled is more than a stage production-it's a national initiative combining live performance, scientific outreach, and transformative art. The play centers on the stirring true story about the remarkable connection between the work of Canadian painter and eminent biologist Dr. Anne Adams (1940-2007) and French composer Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), both of whom lived with the same rare brain disease, Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), almost 100 years apart. "An exquisite example of epic theatre" (Colorado Boulevard), UnRavelled sheds a new, empathetic light on dementia. The outreach initiatives aim to change the conversation around dementia, foster community support, and inspire action through the power of neuroscience and creativity.

Among the festival highlights, the art exhibition of Dr. Adams' extraordinary paintings will be mounted in the Harold Prince Theatre lobby. Viewers can study 10 of her paintings exploring the evolution of Dr. Adams' artwork, from her preclinical phase through her progressive dementia. The exhibit illustrates that as certain areas of Dr. Adams' brain stopped working, other regions stepped in, generating a previously hidden painting talent that enabled her to communicate through her art, even as her ability to speak deteriorated.

The interactive lobby stationed in the Harold Prince Theatre lobby provides self-guided hands-on experiential exhibits, presented by For Their Thoughts Foundation, which is dedicated to bettering the lives of those impacted by dementia, and are available before and after each show. The experiential exhibits feature an altered reality dementia empathy experience and tactile displays that enable people to step into Dr. Adams' shoes. They approximate Dr. Adams' experience completing specific daily tasks. Another exhibit provides a calm space for reflection and highlights caregivers and their vital role in helping loved ones afflicted with dementia. Additionally, national dementia and FTD organizations, including the AFTD, the University of Pennsylvania Memory Care Center, and Beyond Memory, are setting up tables in the lobby to share resources and ways to get engaged with local dementia services.

UnRavelled Outreach has collaborated with the University of Pennsylvania, the AFTD, UCSF, and Emma Heming Willis to bring a Philadelphia FTD Care Roadmap to the Philadelphia community. This resource guide was created to connect Philly-based caregivers to local services, research and drug trial opportunities, and community support for individuals diagnosed with FTD. The Road Map can travel with the tour, going to different cities and being updated and put into the care community ecosystem, until we have enough versions of it to create a network of local Road Maps, which can eventually become national. This much-needed tool will help ensure that patients and caregivers can access the essential support they need. The guide, available to audience members, will also be provided to healthcare providers and dementia organizations for even wider distribution and impact.

Art Therapy Workshops

Workshops in music, visual art, movement, and storytelling created specifically for those living with FTD and their caregivers will be available to the FTD and larger dementia communities. These are inspired by Dr. Adams' approach to trans-modal creativity, which fosters communication without relying on language. The workshops are designed to help sustain meaningful human connection for as long as possible, supporting resilience in both patients and caregivers.

Multigenerational Music and Movement Workshop

Facilitated by Magda Kaczmarska
Thursday, October 8 | 12:30pm-1:30pm | New Beginnings Adult Day Care Center

Friday, October 9 | 11:00am-12:00pm | A to Z Care Adult Day Care Center

Facilitated by Catherine Correa Lopera and Magda Kaczmarska. Focused on creative connection through singing, dancing, and playful group activities, this session invites participants to explore self-expression and social engagement in a supportive environment.

Movement Workshop: Stories in the Moment

Friday, October 9 | 12:00pm-1:00pm

A to Z Care Adult Day Care Center

Facilitated by Magda Kaczmarska. Stories in the Moment uses movement-based improvisation, narrative, and gesture-based choreography to collaborate with people living with dementia and their caregivers to tell their stories and build new connections.

Storytelling Workshop at the ISFTD Conference

Voices and Verses- A Journey Through Caregiving

Facilitated by Laura Calderon Cuevas

Friday, October 9 | 11:30am-12:20pm

Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, 1201 Market Street

This workshop invites caregivers to explore their personal journeys through reflective journaling and shared storytelling, offering space to process the emotional layers of daily life. Participants will leave with a heightened sense of community, presence, and healing.

Music & Poetry Workshop

Saturday, October 10 | 3:30pm-5:00pm

Room 511, Penn Live Arts

This workshop will pair sound and writing prompts to explore memory and relationships. Led by Global Brain Health Institute Fellow Catherine Correa Lopera and Michelle Lu and Grace Lee, Penn student leaders of WriteMinds, a creative writing initiative that brings accessible, imaginative workshops to older adults, particularly people living with brain change. Registration Required.

Dance & Poetry Workshop

Sunday, October 11 | 3:30pm-4:30pm

Studio Lobby, Penn Live Arts

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