New Los Angeles Musical Highlights One Family's Struggle to Live With Epilepsy and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome

News provided by

Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) Foundation

Oct 17, 2024, 10:28 ET

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tickets are now available for the December 5, 2024 showing of It's All Your Fault, Tyler Price!, a new musical created by Emmy-Winning Composer Ben Decter (Lucifer) and Tony-Nominated Director Kristin Hanggi (Rock of Ages), which highlights the hardships and stigma of living with epilepsy and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS).

Epilepsy affects 50 million people worldwide and is the fourth most common neurological disease after migraines, stroke, and Alzheimer's Disease. Despite its prevalence and the fact that 1 in 26 Americans will develop epilepsy in their lifetime, awareness and research funding lag behind.

In some cases, epilepsy can be controlled with currently available therapies, but this is not the case for Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), a rare, severe, life-threatening epilepsy syndrome that develops in children and leads to lifelong disability. Approximately 1 million children and adults worldwide have LGS, yet no broadly effective treatments exist.

The LGS Foundation has partnered with Decter and Hanggi to raise awareness and shine a light on what it is like to live with these disorders. "When my family was in crisis—my little girl, diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, was having 100 seizures a day and we felt so isolated—I never imagined a musical would grow out of it. Writing these songs helped my family have difficult conversations and come together," says Decter in a statement. "It's All Your Fault, Tyler Price! is a fun, irreverent look at a family going through a really hard time—that everyone can relate to."

"This musical is a true passion project for us. It's about dealing with struggles in our families and how challenging it is to be seen by those closest to us," adds Hanggi. "Through art, our characters learn to explore uncomfortable feelings—things that can be difficult to share or admit. We can't wait for Los Angeles—where I've gotten the opportunity to launch other new musicals—to see our show!"

"Raising awareness of epilepsy and LGS has never been more critical," shares Dr. Tracy Dixon-Salazar, Executive Director of the LGS Foundation and mother to an adult daughter who has LGS. "For far too long have these conditions been kept in the shadows and not talked about. We are thrilled to partner on this project and help educate the community in a fun and approachable way. We hope folks will come out and enjoy the show and learn about epilepsy and LGS in the process."

About the LGS Foundation
The LGS Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals impacted by LGS through advancing research, awareness, education, and family support. To learn more, visit www.lgsfoundation.org.

SOURCE Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) Foundation