FREE ADMISSION!

Living on the Moon merges theatre and education to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and the treatments and resources available. Through storytelling and puppetry, actress Molly McFadden dramatizes her journey caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s and her current experience facing a diagnosis that could progress to Alzheimer’s.

After Molly's performance, there will be a panel presentation moderated by Trena Winans, Director of Education & Community Outreach at Senior Services. The panel guests include Suzanne Musil, PhD, ABPP-CN, who specializes in clinical neuropsychology and Memory Care at MyMichigan Health in Midland, and Charlie Schwedler, Executive Director at Senior Services of Midland County. We invite you to join us for a discussion on local resources and the importance of early diagnosis.

The performers are passionate about sharing their message of hope. As Molly states, “Why give in when you can fight back?”

Actress, Puppeteer, Singer and Playwright, Molly McFadden is also known in the Midland area as the former owner of Molly’s restaurant along with her husband, Brian. Molly holds an MFA from Florida State University at the Asolo Repertory Theater. As an actress she had worked in theater in NYC and numerous Equity theaters throughout the country, as well as doing commercials and film before turning to playwriting. “Living on the Moon” is her one-woman show about her journey with her Mother’s Alzheimer’s. It was recently produced by the Cleveland Border Light Festival 2023, and at the Ensemble Theatre as well as being featured at Cleveland Public Theater and then going on to the York Theater in New York. Molly currently lives in Cleveland, OH with her husband, Brian McFadden who is an O’Neill National Playwright recipient and together they participate in playwriting groups where they continue to write and develop new works.

Suzanne Musil, PhD, ABPP-CN, received her PhD in psychology and neuroscience from Princeton University in 1989. After four years of postdoctoral research in neuroanatomy and electrophysiology at the National Institutes of Health, Musil decided to change her specialty to clinical neuropsychology. She obtained this at the University of Florida, with a predoctoral internship at the University of Chicago, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Northwestern University Medical School. Since then, Musil has worked in private practice, geriatric psychiatric facilities, undergraduate teaching institutions and academic medical centers. She assists with the diagnosis of age-related memory changes versus dementia utilizing neuropsychological assessment of memory and other cognitive abilities. She also works with older adults on a one-on-one basis to learn compensatory memory strategies. Musil enjoys teaching and educating health care providers and the public on aging and brain health.