|
|
|
|
November 9, 2005
Smadbeck Center Hosts “BRAIN FREEZE,” Solo Show on Life After Stroke
 |
 (New York, NY) On Tuesday, November 8, the Ruth Smadbeck Communication and Learning Center at Marymount Manhattan College hosted a special performance of "BRAIN FREEZE," a show written and performed by stand-up comic John Kawie. His Marymount Manhattan audience consisted of the after-care aphasia community group at the Smadback Center.
Kawie suffered a stroke at age 47, and "BRAIN FREEZE" is a solo show about his journey through it. Through comedy, the show displays a funny, lighthearted and poignant take on what it is like to be a stroke survivor. The show has been met with rave reviews, receiving the "Best Solo Show" Award at the FringeNYC 2003 Festival.
As a writer and performer, Kawie was a regular on "The David Brenner Radio Show" and a contributor to Bill Maher's monologue on Comedy Central's award-winning show, "Politically Incorrect." After experiencing his life-altering stroke, he focused his energy on writing "BRAIN FREEZE." Following critical acclaim, Kawie is now developing the stage performance of "BRAIN FREEZE" into a book and a documentary film based on the show.
Often caused by brain damage related to stroke, aphasia is a language disorder that affects the comprehension and/or formulation of spoken and written language. The aphasia community group was founded in September 2005 to provide encouragement, education and comfort to stroke survivors, their family members and caregivers. The group encourages functional communication strategies in a supportive listening environment, and is led by Linda Carozza, Director of the Smadbeck Center, along with senior students at MMC.
|
|
|
|
|
