From left, Dr. Heather Berlin, Dr. Yasmin Hurd, Dr. Miguel Arce Renteria, Adina Segal
Everyone attending the 7:00 PM performance on Thursday, March 5 at the Linda Gross Theater of THE RESERVOIR, the brilliant new comedy by Jake Brasch, is encouraged to stay afterward for a stimulating discussion about the play with neuroscientist and clinical psychologist Heather Berlin, neuroscientist Yasmin Hurd, and neuropsychologist Miguel Arce Renteria. Adina Segal, senior navigator and community builder at CaringKind, will moderate the discussion about some of the scientific issues behind the play, including the causes and treatment of addiction, our current understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and much more. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and join the discussion.
The story of the play: Josh’s life is a mess. He’s moved home to Denver to get sober, but after years of drinking, the fog in his brain won’t lift. Struggling with memory loss, confusion, and shame, he finds himself strangely in step with his four aging grandparents. THE RESERVOIR is a funny, human play about memory, recovery, and the joys of cross-generational connection.
THE RESERVOIR, written by Jake Brasch and directed by Shelley Butler, is the 2026 EST/Sloan Project play and a co-production of the Ensemble Studio Theatre, the Atlantic Theater Company, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The play’s New York Off Broadway premiere began previews on February 5 at the Linda Gross Theater and runs through March 15. You can purchase tickets here.
About the panelists
Dr. Heather Berlin
Dr. Heather Berlin is a neuroscientist, clinical psychologist, and Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. She explores the neural basis of impulsive and compulsive psychiatric and neurological disorders with the goal of developing novel treatments. She is also interested in the brain basis of consciousness, dynamic unconscious processes, and creativity. Dr. Berlin is a committee member of the National Academy of Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and is a passionate science communicator. She hosts the PBS Nova series Your Brain, and the Science of Perception Box podcast (the #1 Science podcast on Apple Podcasts during its run).
Dr. Berlin also hosted PBS’ Science Goes to the Movies, and Discovery Channel’s Superhuman Showdown. She makes regular appearances on StarTalk with Neil DeGrasse Tyson, BBC, History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, and TED, and was featured in the documentary Bill Nye: Science Guy. She also co-wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway show, Off the Top, about the neuroscience of improvisation, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival show, Impulse Control.
Her new book, The Fine Art of Losing Control (Simon and Schuster), is slated for release in January 2027.
Dr. Yasmin Hurd
Dr. Yasmin Hurd is Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Pharmacological Sciences, the Ward-Coleman Chair of Translational Neuroscience, and the Director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai. Dr. Hurd's multidisciplinary research investigates the neurobiology underlying addiction disorders and related psychiatric illnesses. A translational approach is used to examine molecular and neurochemical events in the human brain and comparable animal models in order to ascertain neurobiological correlates of behavior. A major focus of the research is directed to risk factors of addiction disorders including genetics as well as developmental exposure to drugs of abuse such as cannabis. Her team also conducts human clinical trials in developing novel therapies for opioid use disorder. Hurd's research on the transgenerational effects of early cannabis exposure on the developing brain and behavior and on the therapeutic properties of cannabidiol has garnered substantial media attention. In 2017, Dr. Hurd was elected to the National Academy of Medicine and, in 2022, Dr. Hurd was elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).
Dr. Miguel Arce Renteria
Dr. Miguel Arce Rentería is an Assistant Professor of Neuropsychology at the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain and the Department of Neurology at the Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Arce's research focuses on determining factors of reserve and resilience to cognitive aging and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) among racial/ethnic minorities both within the United States and abroad with an emphasis on understanding the role of bilingualism. Dr. Arce is also involved in outreach efforts to engage with diverse communities in ADRD research. He is the director of the Outreach, Recruitment and Engagement (ORE) Core for Columbia University’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC).
About the Moderator
Adina Segal
Adina Segal, LCSW, is a clinical social worker with over 15 years of experience specializing in dementia care and complex caregiving dynamics. She serves as Senior Navigator and Community Builder at CaringKind, where she provides direct clinical support to individuals and families impacted by dementia.
Her primary focus is supporting caregivers as they navigate challenging behavioral symptoms, shifting family roles, and complex relational dynamics. She is frequently consulted on high-complexity cases, including individuals living alone with dementia, family conflict, elder abuse concerns, and limited support systems, and works closely with caregivers of individuals with early-onset dementia. As part of her role, she also facilitates evidence-based Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) groups for individuals with early-stage dementia, provides individualized care planning around safety and long-term care transitions, and leads educational workshops while consulting with community organizations to strengthen dementia-informed care.
She previously served as Caregiver Program Director at Heights and Hills in Brooklyn and held clinical roles at Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services and Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services.
THE RESERVOIR began previews on February 5 and runs through March 15. You can purchase tickets here. The play is the 2026 mainstage production of the EST/Sloan Project, EST’s partnership with The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to develop new plays “exploring the world of science and technology,” an initiative now in its twenty-sixth year.
Read more related to THE RESERVOIR
Remembering the Complexity of Alzheimer’s Disease by Michael A. Yassa
