SMASH HIT JELLO BRAIN RETURNS TO LA

Jello Brain

Heartfelt – Gut Wrenching – Incredibly Humorous
July, 2025 at Madnani Theatre
Directed by Terra Mackintosh Produced by Jonah Weiland

“Written and performed with such grace, vulnerability and courage Grove’s play reminds audiences that we are more connected than not…” – Danny Gordon, Casting Director

“This show was absolutely incredible…raw… I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see the humanity in the world.” – Romy Reiner

LOS ANGELES, CA. (June 11, 2025) – JELLO BRAIN, directed by Terra Mackintosh and Produced by Jonah Weiland, is a one-woman show by Natalie Grove. After last year’s sold out run at the 2024 Hollywood Fringe Festival, JELLO BRAIN returns in July for another run in Los Angeles, and then heads to the EDINBURGH FRINGE with 21 shows. Opening July 10 – 19, 2025 – Four performances only.

This is a 60-minute piece of theater. Only one person on stage with Grove playing herself, her mother, and 8 other characters. The genre is tragicomedy, continuously swishing back and forth between heartbreak and hilarity.

The story begins the day her mother moves into Memory. Alzheimer’s at 55 seems impossible as she attempts to make her mother feel at home but it’s more like welcome to your worst nightmare.

“I don’t think she understands when I tell her, mom it’s going to be okay and can someone please tell me it’s going to be okay and that my brain won’t shrink like hers. Maybe the cure to Alzheimer’s isn’t so far away… Oh and you know what else is so good for the brain? Orgasms! Does anyone have any XANAX? I know I know it’s not good for your brain but I need to sleep.”

There are instances where she shares antidotes of the boundless love her mom gave her and how it’s because of this that she’s able to figure out how to care for her now; moments when she discusses the brain’s features (i.e. that it’s the texture of Jello), the alarming neuroscience of Alzheimer’s (how her mom’s brain is shrinking inside her head and she hopes hers isn’t too), all whilst avoiding the phone calls from the geneticist with her test results.

There’s an occasion of singing, a moment with dance, and another when she gets a massage. There’s a 12-foot parachute, a suitcase, and lots of rainbows. The set is minimal, but Natalie will travel to several locations across time, space, and the inner-workings of the mind.

VENUE & PERFORMANCES
Madnani Theatre (Main Space) – Located at 6760 Lexington Ave., Los Angeles. 90038 Performances Thur. July 10, Fri. July 11, Fri. July 18, and Sat. July 19. All performances at 7:00pm. General admission $22.00
Tickets: https://events.thestagecrafts.com/projects/12371?tab=tickets

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NATALIE GROVE – Writer / Performer
Grove received her Bachelor of Arts in Film and Art History from the University of Michigan. In 2023, she was chosen to attend IAMA Theater Company’s (designated by Playbill as “one of 20 regional houses every theater lover must know”) Summer Actor’s Intensive, and is currently studying with Emmy Award winning casting director Danny Gordon and director Terra Mackintosh at their studio The Artist’s Space in Hollywood. Additionally, Grove was recently accepted to Columbia University’s School of Social Work, where she plans to specialize in aging. With her MSW, her goal is to create a curriculum of acting-inspired group therapy tools that address the unique circumstances of those with dementia and autism to foster connectedness. Currently, she uses these techniques in her work with neurodivergent kids and adults. One of her recent credits includes the short film, Starling Street directed by Christia Crocker, about a family coming to terms with an early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

TERRA MACKINTOSH – Director
Mackintosh is an award-winning actress, producer, writer, and director. Her theatre acting credits include Back (RAVE Theatre Festival Award for Outstanding Performance), Salty, Grounded, Running Interference (Fringe Excellence in Ensemble Award), Bryony Lavery’s Frozen, and Fool for Love (which she also directed). She has appeared on television (Apple TV+, Netflix, HBO, NBC, CBS, Paramount+) and in multiple independent films, including I Am Like You, A Good Marriage by Stephen King, and In Defense of Wonder (Atlanta Film Festival Selection, NYU Film Festival Craft Award for Lead Actress). Additionally, Mackintosh co-wrote and produced Best Summer Ever, an “unprecedented” (Variety) and “unlike anything you’ve seen before” (Forbes) feature made with a fully integrated cast and crew of people with and without disabilities. The film was awarded the SXSW 2020 Final Draft Screenwriters Award, named a New York Times Critics’ Pick, a SXSW 2020 World Premiere Selection, a SXSW 2021 Spotlight Selection, and received raves from The Hollywood Reporter, USA Today and Indiewire.

JONAH WEILAND – Producer
JONAH WEILAND is an actor/director/writer/producer located in Los Angeles. A Hollywood Fringe veteran, he produced 2024’s critically acclaimed I’LL BE WITH YOU IN A MINUTE for Natalie Grove, which is headed to Edinburgh Fringe in 2025. In March of 2025, Weiland Directed radio legend Phil Hendrie in the sold out THE GALAXY OF PHIL HENDRIE for Theatre West in Los Angeles. In June, Weiland produced and co-starred in the new play STUCK, which had its premiere at the 2025 Hollywood Fringe and won the Hollywood Fringe Exchange Award with Fringe Italia Off based in Milan, Italy. Outside of the stage, Weiland is producing/starring in the scripted podcast BEHIND THE HERO by writer/director Joe Casey (BEN 10, BIG HERO SIX), producing and starring in the short film THE ARRANGER with writer Christopher Long (HALCYON on Amazon Prime), and has written the short film SKETCHY WHITE VAN set to film in 2026.

ALSO (Drew Roger Conrad and Mark Zelen) – Sound designer
Los Angeles based duo ALSO, who provide the music for I’ll Be With You In A Minute, is comprised of multi-instrumentalists Drew Roger Conrad & Mark Zelen. The band addresses complex themes such as depression, bullying and suicide, all within a cinematic pop structure that emphasizes their mutual love for world instrumentation and electronic beats. They’ve toured extensively throughout Europe, released multiple albums and singles, been featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered, and have landed numerous placements in film and television. The duo can be heard on distinguished radio stations such as KCRW and Radio C Luxembourg. ALSO is currently in the studio, set to release new music this summer.

SANDRA KUKER-FRANCO, SANDRA KUKER PR – PUBLICITY AND MARKETING
An Award-winning Publicist with over four decades of experience Sandra has created a client list of diversity and successful campaigns. Film highlight: A World Away (Mark Blanchard). Stage: I’m Not A Comedian, I’m Lenny Bruce(Ronnie Marmo, Director, Joe Mantegna),Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground (Tony Winner John Rubinstein), Adventures In The Great Beyond, Death Of A Salesman (Frances Fisher & Joe Cortese), Elephant Man, My Child, Mothers Of War (an all-star cast), Voice Lessons (Laurie Metcalf, French Stewart & Maile Flanagan), Write Act Repertory 15+ Production Campaigns, Panic! Productions: Footloose The Musical, plus 8 others. Crimson Square TC/BHP: Outrage + 8 other shows. Utilizing the strength of relationships, social media and traditional PR. www.SandraKukerPR.com