Search Results

Enable Me Theatre Pilot Program To Transform Dementia Care: For Caregivers By Caregivers Social Issues Theatre proudly unveils the Enable Me Theatre Pilot Program, a pioneering initiative aimed at revolutionizing dementia care. By employing innovative techniques such as role reversal, this program empowers caregivers and cultivates stronger connections between caregivers and dementia patients. Enable Me Theatre represents a paradigm shift in the approach to dementia care. It emphasizes role reversal as a means to empower both caregivers and patients. The program fosters mutual respect, dignity, and deeper relationships by encouraging caregivers to transition from care providers to care recipients. In the United States, approximately 6.7 million individuals are living with Alzheimer's and various forms of dementia, placing immense pressure on caregivers who often experience significant stress and burnout. The Enable Me Theatre Pilot Program offers a groundbreaking solution to provide much-needed support and respite to these caregivers. Utilizing the transformative power of theatre, the Enable Me Theatre Pilot Program incorporates interactive workshops, music and art therapy, and role-playing exercises to equip caregivers with invaluable insights and skills for their caregiving journey, whether they are providing care at home or in dementia communities. "We are excited to collaborate with local organizations to introduce the Enable Me Theatre Pilot Program to communities nationwide," said L.A Walker, Co-Executive Director of Social Issues Theatre. "Together, we have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of caregivers and dementia patients, fostering compassion, understanding, and support." The concept of Enable Me Theatre was inspired by Social Issues Theatre Directors Marcia Norris and L. A. following the production of their musical dramedy, "The Wonderful World of Was." The show, which portrays how a chosen family navigates an unexpected dementia journey, sparked numerous requests from audience members seeking guidance in navigating their caregiver duties. Drawing from their personal experiences—Norris's ongoing care for her mother and Walker's journey alongside her late spouse's battle with Lewy Body Dementia—they are committed to addressing the holistic needs of the dementia community. They understand the importance of caregivers finding ways to connect with their loved ones daily. Social Issues Theatre has enlisted the expertise of Dr. Jason Flatt, Associate Professor of Social and Behavioral Health at UNLV School of Public Health, to provide guidance on the program's development. With expertise in LGBTQ health, gerontology, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and caregiving, Dr. Flatt brings invaluable knowledge to the initiative. The launch of the Enable Me Theatre Pilot Program marks a pivotal step forward in addressing the escalating challenge of dementia care. By harnessing the power of theatre, Social Issues Theatre aims to raise awareness, diminish stigma, and enhance the quality of life for individuals affected by dementia. Caregivers and others wanting details can sign up for the Enable Me Theatre Pilot Program and Social Issues Theatre by emailing lawalkerwrites@gmail.com and visiting www.thesit.org.

Lessons on Inventing By Paul Atreides Author, playwright Theatre critic at EatMoreArtVegas.com paul-atreides.com Aaron Sorkin is arguably a genius and the King of Dialogue. His dialogue is always breezy, crisp, and brisk. That is certainly the case with his play The Farnsworth Invention, now running on the mainstage at Las Vegas Little Theatre. Farnsworth began as a screenplay, but New Line Cinema shelved it. It was then rewritten for the stage and garnered a short Broadway run in 2009. Sorkin’s adaptation still feels like a film, moving swiftly from scene to scene and jumping time as it goes. The story follows the race between Philo Farnsworth, boy genius, and David Sarnoff, the young CEO of RCA, to invent television. By his own admission, Sorkin plays fast and loose with the expected patent lawsuits. It’s an ensemble piece, and director Lindsay Wray keeps all the parts and 17 cast members (playing 26 roles) moving from setting to setting with dexterity. Not an easy task. She has also kept an eye on and found the humor – especially for anyone old enough to remember things pre-internet. Tom Vernon Ford does a wonderful job playing the adult Philo Farnsworth. His command of the stage bolsters his confidence, and he manages to still elicit empathy when he’s struggling to make his invention actually work. He further lapses into despair when the patent is stolen. Dave Elliot plays the despicable David Sarnoff. He starts off well enough. However, many times throughout the performance, he speaks in the dark because he hasn’t timed the delivery to the blocking; he’s either jumping the cue or coming in too late. To be fair, it could have been the light board operator. Still, Elliot’s characterization remains solid from curtain to curtain. Natalie Sherwood as Pem Farnsworth and Hallie Lyons as Lizette Sarnoff both do an admirable job. Lyons brings disappointment and slow-burn anger toward her husband keeping the necessary sense of time passage intact. Sherwood transforms from a giddy young bride to a supportive wife. The two-level stage, designed by Ron Lindblom and Lindsay Wray, manages to cover a wide range of locations with ease, allowing the characters to walk from one to the next without missing a beat. Add in Michael Blair’s swiftly changed set dressings with the help of light design by Ginny Adams and the action never falters. The sound design by Lindsay Wray also assists in the changing time periods, though the volume level for the 1920 stock market crash, which triggered the Great Depression, overpowers the narration by Ford to keep us abreast. Special kudos must go to Julie Horton for dressing 26 different characters over a forty-year span and remaining true to each period. Despite any production flaws, this is a fascinating and fun history lesson on the 20th Century’s most impactful invention. What: The Farmsworth Invention When: 8 p.m. Friday - Saturday; 2 p.m. Sundays through May 5 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27 Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre - Mainstage, 3920 Schiff Drive Tickets: $30 702-362-7996 www.lvlt.org Grade:  **** Scrumptious Producer: Las Vegas Little Theatre; Director: Lindsay Wray; Set Design: Ron Lindblom, Lindsay Wray; Lighting Design: Ginny Adams; Sound: Lindsay Wray; Costume Design: Julie Horton; Stage Manager: Christy Cunningham

By Debbie Hall dhall@informermg.com Photo by Benjamin Balazs According to director Louie Schwartzberg, cinematography in movies can focus attention, create a visual story, and make "the invisible visible." His visually stunning film, Fantastic Fungi, has been remastered and re-released for fun and informative events. The 4k version of the award-winning documentary Fantastic Fungi will be screened at Galaxy Theaters Boulevard Mall on April 20, offering a unique opportunity afterward to engage in a Q&A session with the director. The movie delves into the awe-inspiring world of mycelium networks and their transformative impact on the environment. The film features renowned scientists and mycologists such as Paul Stamets and acclaimed authors like Michael Pollan, Eugenia Bone, and Andrew Weil. Through their expertise, the film offers profound insights into the mysteries of the Earth and how the underground mycelium network can heal and preserve the planet. Furthermore, the film illuminates the beauty, intelligence, and practical solutions offered by the fungi kingdom to address pressing medical, therapeutic, and environmental challenges. Louie helped pioneer time-lapse cinematography after graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles because it inspired a sense of wonder. “That led me to shoot things like flowers, which could take a month or more to shoot, like, a roll of film, 35-millimeter movie film. And then by getting entranced like watching a flower open, that opened me up to do the films I've done about nature, but more from a feminine perspective, looking at the foundation of life,” he explains. “So, for example, Wings of Life for Disney Nature, which is on Disney Plus now, is a story about how flowers seduce pollinators, bees, bats, hummingbirds, and butterflies, narrated by Meryl Streep. And then you think, what do plants need? Well, they need soil. Where does soil come from?” They come from fungi that break down organic matter into its component parts so that plants can have food. “That turned me on to making the film Fantastic Fungi. You find out that fungi not only break down things and recycle things for life to grow, but they can also sequester carbon for climate change. They can heal your body with Lion's Mane, for example, with Alzheimer's and Turkey Tail for immunity. Basically, I'm just trying to unveil life's mysteries.” The audience will experience many beautiful sequences in the movie, such as time-lapse mushrooms, which most people don't realize are like the largest organisms on the planet. The beauty and all that mushrooms can do will blow them away. “The mushrooms are a window into nature's intelligence, into nature's wisdom, and that's something we all want to reconnect,” says Louie. “One of the other benefits of having the film showing in theaters is that we want people to come together. After COVID, one of the biggest things we learned was that we were disconnected from each other, which was one of the most difficult things we had to encounter. So, having a live screening that has been remastered is gorgeous, with a beautiful soundtrack. It's going to be truly an immersive experience. People come out of the screening many times crying because the beauty of the film is so overwhelming.” Journalist Stacey Gualandi will moderate the Q&A with the director. Fantastic Fungi will be shown at Galaxy Theatres Boulevard Mall at 7 p.m. on April 20. For more information, visit www.fantasticfungi.com and click here to purchase tickets.