In this Mindworks in Conversation episode, theater artist and educator Chris Wilson shares how Only Make Believe uses live, interactive performances to spark joy, creativity, and connection for children in hospitals and care facilities. Drawing on more than 15 years in professional theater, Wilson explains how the nonprofit’s unique blend of improvisation and accessibility transforms both the audience and the performers.
Founded 25 years ago by Dena Hammerstein, Only Make Believe now partners with over 65 sites in New York, Washington, DC, and beyond—bringing narrative practice into spaces where joy can be hard to find. Children help guide the story, influence the plot, and connect through shared imagination, while staff and families join in the play.
From in-person hospital visits to innovative virtual programming, Wilson and his team are expanding the reach of this work, showing how narrative medicine principles—empathy, listening, and shared storytelling - can heal, empower, and inspire.
