Performances were held at Maimonides Medical Center and supported by the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund’s Arts in Health initiative

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Brooklyn, NY, May 19, 2026 – Maimonides Health and Elevate Theatre Company, a New York-based theater company specializing in theater programming to promote health and well-being, have partnered to present live performances onsite at Maimonides Medical Center, inspired by the stories of the health system’s frontline healthcare workers.

Organized by the Healing Arts Program at Maimonides Medical Center, the performances were held on three separate days in May at Maimonides’ Schreiber Auditorium, with the goal of making show attendance accessible for as many members of the Maimonides team as possible.

“With this program, we’ve aimed to create a meaningful celebration of the incredible contributions our hospital’s healthcare professionals and frontline workers have made for the benefit of our patients and community,” said Deborah Douek, Manager of Team Lavender Peer Support/Healing Arts for Maimonides. “It’s a unique and impactful way to recognize the moments that affect our team most, whether they’re big or small, funny or difficult, and help our team stay connected and build resiliency.”

Working closely with Maimonides’ frontline caregivers, the team gathered rich data and commissioned Activities in Daily Living, an original play by Kareem M. Lucas, bringing participant voices to the stage with professional performers.

In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control described post-pandemic challenges in the healthcare field, with “nearly half of health workers report[ing] often feeling burned out.” Supportive work environments can help to promote well-being, impacting provider mental health, turnover, and productivity. Arts engagement demonstrably bridges the gap between high-stress healthcare environments and positive wellbeing outcomes, and storytelling can be used as a tool to support mental health by allowing individuals to express their lived experience.

“Decades of research show that the arts are a powerful tool in healing,” said Rick Luftglass, executive director of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, “and Acts of Care is a beautiful example of that in action. By centering the stories of frontline healthcare workers, this collaboration bolsters resilience, creating space for restoration, connection, and community. When we invest in the well-being of our healers, we invest in the health of everyone they serve. We are proud to support this work as part of our Arts in Health initiative.”

This pilot event is a first step toward an expanded program, not only to increase participation opportunities for healthcare workers, but also with the potential to create opportunities for acting, playwriting, and directing for health teams.

“This pilot takes the virtual work Elevate accomplished during the pandemic with frontline health workers, and brings it to life in-person in a whole new way,” said Christina D. Eskridge, Elevate Founder and Executive Director. “We are proud to partner with Maimonides and make a difference in the lives of those who care for us all through theater and storytelling.”

About Maimonides’ Healing Arts Program

The healing arts program at Maimonides Health promotes the emotional wellness of our workforce through a holistic, integrative approach, utlizing modalities such as art, music, writing, storytelling, and aromatherapy.

About Elevate Theatre Company
Elevate Theatre Company is theater for health, creating space for audiences and artists to explore health and well-being through the art of storytelling. Every performance covers a public health topic, provides a panel discussion for further exploration, and a post-show reception to build community. Elevate works with hospitals, public health organizations, and teams from various industries to explore public health and wellness, and leverage the power of theater to bring people together and share authentic stories.

Learn more: www.elevatetheatrecompany.com and follow us on Instagram (@ElevateTheatreCompany) or on YouTube.

About the Playwright Kareem M. Lucas

Kareem M. Lucas is a writer, performer, director and educator who treats storytelling as a vital form of communal care. His work, lauded as “visceral, mythic, and rhythmic,” deliberately creates space to explore the health and well-being of the Black community, by centering intimate, raw, and complex narratives, he interrogates the societal factors, from institutional racism to personal trauma, that impact our lives.

His powerful solo shows and multi-character plays have been developed at the nation’s leading theatrical institutions, including The Public Theater, The Apollo, New York Theatre Workshop, and American Repertory Theater. As a writer, Kareem’s purpose is to rupture the silences that surround our most difficult conversations, transforming the stage into a site for ritual, resistance, and healing. He is a NY Emmy-nominated filmmaker, an inaugural, Jerome Hill Artist Fellow, and a usual suspect at New York Theatre Workshop, he has held residencies with The Public Theater, NYTW, Pipeline, Page 72, Kickstarter, NACL, Space at Ryder Farm, Hi-Arts and others. As an educator, Kareen has taught and directed across NYC at NYU Grad Acting, Pace University, Barnard College, MCC Theater, The Classic Theatre of Harlem, The 52^nd Street Project, LS Acting Studios, among others, MFA: NYU Grad Acting.

About the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund
Based in New York City, the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund is dedicated to expanding access and opportunity for all New Yorkers and fostering healthy, vibrant communities. In 2018, the Illumination Fund launched its Arts in Health initiative to support organizations using the arts as a tool for healing, connection, and public engagement. Building on this work, in 2025, the Fund launched Play to Thrive to expand access to youth sports and strengthen mental health and wellbeing. For more information, visit www.thelmtif.org.