Blog Posts

Samuel A. Simon's Book Wins Global Book Award

9/15/2023

Samuel A. Simon's book The Actual Dance, Love's Ultimate Journey Through Breast Cancer has just received a Bronze Medal in Biographical - Survival in the Global Book Awards!

The Actual Dance is a love story with a happy ending told through the eyes and heart of a husband as he struggles with his worst fears in what everyone expects to be his wife’s losing battle to breast cancer.

The story takes the reader on an emotional but uplifting journey that rewards them with an unexpected happy ending, and a universal, life-affirming lesson of hope and faith.

To learn more about The Actual Dance, the book and the play, visit TheActualDance.com

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Samuel & Susan Simon Virtual Discussion with Steve Gurney of Positive Aging Community

8/23/2023

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You're invited to attend this live & interactive virtual discussion featuring playwright and actor of Dementia Man, An Existential Journey, and Steve Gurney, founder of Positive Aging Community. Please share!
Click here to watch.

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Alzheimer's Foundation of America Interviews Samuel A. Simon

8/21/2023

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Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) interviews Samuel (Sam) A. Simon to discuss Sam's transition from a career as a lawyer into an actor and playwright, the extraordinary reception of the first presentation of Dementia Man, An Existential Journey at APAP in January 2023, what's next for Sam and the play, and the power of the arts! Read the conversation here.

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Listen in to APAP's ARTS. WORK. LIFE Podcast for feature on Dementia Man

8/8/2023

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Sam Simon and Dementia Man have been featured in the ARTS. WORK. LIFE. Podcast by the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP).

Listen wherever you get podcasts! Tune in to S02 E06 - Breaking Out of the Box. Interview begins at minute 19:20.

RSS:
https://rss.com/podcasts/artsworklife/1067603/

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-out-of-the-box/id1620620590?i=1000623762793

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4N0smJuhAm2LbySf8eCvFs

Google Podcasts:
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9tZWRpYS5yc3MuY29tL2FydHN3b3JrbGlmZS9mZWVkLnhtbA/episode/YmJiMTQ2YjctYmU3YS00NDc5LWI5MDMtNGZmNDU4ZmY0NTIy?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwjAl9na286AAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ

Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cfa9c09a-a510-41f8-972f-88badadc3757/episodes/64aa50fe-1311-41ca-9caf-6a5d4fec7c96/arts-work-life-breaking-out-of-the-box

Tune In:
https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/Arts-Work-Life-p1668303/?topicId=312243262

iHeartRadio:
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-arts-work-life-95944688/episode/breaking-out-of-the-box-120627017/

Deezer:
https://www.deezer.com/us/show/3627077

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Watch Samuel A. Simon's Featured Segment on FOX5 Washington D.C.

7/22/2023

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Samuel A. Simon Featured on Alzheimer's Speaks

7/21/2023

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Samuel A. Simon talks with Lori La Bey of Alzheimer's Speaks about receiving his diagnosis of Mild-Cognitive Impairment in 2018 and later Early-Stage Alzheimer's in 2021 as well as his play Dementia Man, An Existential Journey currently running at Capital Fringe 2023 in Washington, D.C. Listeners will learn about 'The Black Wall', the process of getting a diagnosis, “Curb Cuts” and what are they for dementia, and Sam’s newest play, Dementia Man.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZnC3x2x0AqU

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3QTXcMDpSICYL3qV4oiGx8

Listen on Omny: https://omny.fm/shows/alzheimer-s-speaks/samuel-a-simon-is-dementia-man-the-man-and-the-pla

Read more here on AlzheimersSpeaks.com:
https://alzheimersspeaks.wordpress.com/2023/07/19/samuel-a-simon-is-dementia-man-the-man-and-the-play/

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PRESS RELEASE: LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT AND AUTHOR TO PREMIER HIS NEWEST WORK IN THE 2023 CAPITAL FRINGE -- JULY 13, 15, 22, & 23 AT DCJCC - CAFRITZ HALL, 1529 16TH ST NW, WASHINGTON, DC

5/30/2023

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 30, 2023
CONTACT: Sam Simon 202-329-1851
[email protected]

LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT AND AUTHOR TO PREMIER HIS NEWEST WORK IN THE 2023 CAPITAL FRINGE -- JULY 13, 15, 22, & 23 AT DCJCC - CAFRITZ HALL, 1529 16TH ST NW, WASHINGTON, DC

Dementia Man, An Existential Journey is the autobiographical story of a man who faces his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease by actor and playwright Samuel A. Simon.

In this full-length theatrical piece, Simon takes the stage as a man facing his cognitive decline and asks the hard questions of what to do next in the face of what he calls “an existential journey.” It is a peek into the head and heart of the struggle with a broken medical system and a personal and family tragedy. The play challenges the audience to imagine a meaningful future for the millions of people with neurocognitive disease, with accommodation and adaptation.

Cast & Crew includes Samuel A. Simon (Playwright and Actor, playing himself), Thadd McQuade (Director), Gabrielle Maisels (Dramaturg), Marsha Abramovich (Stage Manager)

About Samuel A. Simon (Playwright and Actor)
Samuel A. (Sam) Simon started his career in Washington, DC as a lawyer for Ralph Nader’s first advocacy group. He then spent 25 years as head of a public affairs firm. In that work, he was often in the news, with appearances on Face The Nation, Phil Donahue Show, Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, and many more. Sam calls his playwriting and theatre work is 4th Age. His first play, The Actual Dance, Love’s Ultimate Journey Through Breast Cancer, has toured from 2013 to the present. In 2021 The Actual Dance was turned into an award-winning biography. Sam lives in Mclean, Virginia, with his wife Susan. They have two children and four grandchildren.

About Thadd McQuade (Director)
Thadd McQuade has been a director, teacher, and performer for 40 years, splitting his time between classical and Greek theater and new experimental works. He has worked internationally with the Odin Teatret and Teatr Gardzienice and has produced multiple shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. His work there has been nominated for a Total Theatre Innovation award and won a BBC Most Innovative on the Fringe award. For the last 4 years, Thadd has been working on ways to expand the work of theater to incorporate neuro-diverse voices and artists.

About Gabrielle Maisels (Dramaturg)
Gabrielle Maisels has served as Dramaturg to the playwright and was an essential collaborator in the development of the show. She has also served as acting coach to Sam Simon. She is an actor, playwright, and acting coach, and the writer/performer of two solo shows, Two Girls and Bongani, inspired by her family's experiences in South Africa. Gabrielle studied Political Theory at Harvard and Columbia, acting with Carol Fox Prescott, and playwriting with Matt Hoverman. New York theatre includes: Solo shows in Fringe NYC 2010 and 2011, Clear Cold Place by Caroline Prugh, Agnes in Tony Kushner's A Bright Room Called Day, Esther in Kushner's Terminating, Rocky in Men of Clay (Off-Broadway, with Matthew Arkin, Danton Stone, Steven Rattazzi). Member Actor’s Equity. www.gabriellemaisels.com

Dementia Man plays at DCJCC - Cafritz Hall as follows:
Thursday, July 13 at 6:00pm
Saturday, July 15 at 1:00pm
Saturday, July 22 at 1:00pm
Sunday, July 23 at 4:45pm

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at www.capitalfringe.org
Dementia Man is a production of The Actual Dance, LLC. All work is original and copyrighted by The Actual Dance LLC.   www.theactualdance.com

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Preserving Your Memory Magazine: Sam’s Story: Coming to Terms with Alzheimer’s Disease

3/1/2023

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Forward>>

Samuel A. Simon's Book Wins Global Book Award

Samuel & Susan Simon Virtual Discussion with Steve Gurney of Positive Aging Community

Alzheimer's Foundation of America Interviews Samuel A. Simon

Listen in to APAP's ARTS. WORK. LIFE Podcast for feature on Dementia Man

Watch Samuel A. Simon's Featured Segment on FOX5 Washington D.C.

Samuel A. Simon Featured on Alzheimer's Speaks

PRESS RELEASE: LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT AND AUTHOR TO PREMIER HIS NEWEST WORK IN THE 2023 CAPITAL FRINGE -- JULY 13, 15, 22, & 23 AT DCJCC - CAFRITZ HALL, 1529 16TH ST NW, WASHINGTON, DC

Preserving Your Memory Magazine: Sam’s Story: Coming to Terms with Alzheimer’s Disease

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