The Endgame Project

Over a million Americans are afflicted with Parkinson’s Disease, with 50,000 to 60,000 new cases diagnosed every year. Arizona is faced with a disproportionately high number due to our aging population. The Endgame Project is a documentary film about an extraordinary production of Samuel Beckett’s darkly comic play – extraordinary because it was organized and acted by Dan Moran and Chris Jones, two seasoned film and stage actors who live with Parkinson’s Disease. The film follows Dan and Chris through rehearsals, doctor visits, physical therapy, and the challenges of daily life, culminating in their poignant performance of the play (one uniquely suited to the circumstances) in an off-Broadway theater.  Their story offers inspiration to the growing number of people directly impacted by Parkinson’s Disease and, just as important, it provides the general public with a model for appreciating those around us with chronic illnesses and neurodegenerative conditions. The reception and Q & A session after the film screening will allow members of the audience to reflect on these challenges and discuss the many ways that art – not just acting, but the related fields of dance, music, and literature – can help those suffering from chronic illness to meet these challenges, to endure, and even to thrive in the face of disease and disability.

March 2017 Grantee Highlight