The Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan Presents Broadway's Best For Parkinson's

On Wednesday, October 19, the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan (MMJCCM) will present a free virtual event, Broadway's Best for Parkinson's: Using Theater and Improvisation Skills for Managing Parkinson's, which will explore how theater and improvisation can be helpful tools in managing Parkinson's.

The hour-long event will feature Alessandro Di Rocco, M.D., director of neurology, Parkinson's and movement disorders at Northwell Health, and Caroline Kohles, MMJCCM senior program director, Health + Wellness, who will lead this conversation on the impact of the performing arts on Parkinson's (PD).

Viewers will meet members of Tightrope Impro Theatre, which has partnered with the Parkinson's Foundation and Mount Sinai Hospital on a study to quantify the benefits of improv on PD, and Larry Gifford, a co-founder of PD Avengers, and founding member of the Parkinson's Performance troupe, who will share his experience and the benefits he has gained from doing improv.

Broadway musical director, actor, and author David Loud, in conversation with Broadway and television star Boyd Gaines, will share experiences from their life in the theater and how their careers evolved with Parkinson's; and, actor and co-founder of StoPD Theater Alex Montaldo will discuss his production of The Boxer, featuring an integrated cast of actors and people living with Parkinson's, and how an actor's training is useful to people living with PD.

"We are pleased to continue our series where attendees can experience firsthand the positivity that can be gained through using theatrical tools as an aid while living with Parkinson's," says MMJCCM Senior Program Director of Health + Wellness Caroline Kohles.

The virtual event is part of a groundbreaking JCC program founded 15 years ago to improve the lives of those impacted by Parkinson's. The event begins at 5:00 PM EDT and is free, though prior registration is required. You can register at Broadway's Best for Parkinson's: Using Theater and Improvisation Skills for Managing Parkinson's. Registrants will receive a Zoom link to attend and will be able to engage with participants and submit questions during the hour.

The groundbreaking Edmond J. Safra Parkinson's Wellness Initiative at the JCC helps improve the lives of those impacted by Parkinson's. Through education, exercise, support groups, and other programs, and in collaboration with the medical and local communities, people impacted by Parkinson's remain active, connected and empowered.

Broadway's Best for Parkinson's is supported by a community grant from the Parkinson's Foundation. Broadway's Best for Parkinson's is part of the Edmond J. Safra Wellness Initiative at the MMJCCM.