Millennial Notes

Candace Johnson Brings Music, Creativity, Joy

by Isa S. Chu

We’ve all had that moment when our ‘to-do’ list stares back at us, smug and untouched, while our brain has wandered off. In “Scat-ter Brain: The Music of ADHD,” Candace Johnson acknowledges our distracted moments and turns them into a music-filled, laugh-out-loud, deeply resonant evening. And she invites us to hum along.

ADHD—Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder—afflicts many of us. Candace Johnson turns it into a discovery of herself and the music she makes.

The storytelling is deeply personal. We reflect on our own familiar inner monologue: What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just—? For those of us who grew up without the language or understanding of ADHD, Johnson holds up a mirror to our winding journeys.

Her psychologist delivers a simple yet powerful message: “I hear you, I feel you, because I am like you.” They remind us all of the value of recognition, of being truly seen.

“Scat-ter Brain” opens at a choir rehearsal room with an upright piano. House lights rise slightly, and we have been cast as her students. She warms us up with lip trills as she plays the scales. We cannot resist participating in the joy of communal music-making.

Johnson traces her ADHD journey from a supportive and structured childhood to an adulthood where the scaffolding falls away and follow-through slips out of reach. The deft use of lighting and sound transports us smoothly from one scene to the next.

Using a grab-bag of unique voices and physical quirks, she morphs fantastically from herself at 9-years-old, performing with an elegant vibrato—mature for her age—to her supportive grandfather, who dances to her songs. She transforms into her luminous psychologist, complete with calming meditative music luring us into her office. And then becomes her own judgmental, yet supportive teenaged kids. Candace Johnson “contains multitudes.”

The piece also confronts the cultural taboo of mental health conversations in the African American community. She navigates between faith and medicine with grace and humor. Sometimes, you need both a prayer and a prescription.

Johnson’s soprano voice is light, agile, and beautiful, soaring above us brilliantly. Her improvisations add a playful unpredictability. I would gladly see her show again just to catch the moments that change from night to night.

“Scat-ter Brain” doesn’t tidy up the ADHD experience into a neat package. Johnson lets us breathe, riff, and move in unexpected ways, like our lives. She offers us a permission slip to embrace the offbeat, to honor the improvisations, and to let our brains play in their own keys.

At the climax, Johnson re-frames the narrative entirely. ADHD is not a flaw to fix. It’s a unique tempo, a syncopated rhythm that can drive creativity, spontaneity, and connection. We walk out of The Marsh in Berkeley feeling empowered to scat away, to create, and to discover our own melodies.

 

“Scat-ter Brain: The Music of ADHD” —written & performed by Candace Johnson, creative consulting by Stephanie Weisman, at The Marsh, Berkeley.

Info: themarsh.org – to September 13, 2025.

Cast: Candace Johnson (in many roles).

Banner Photo: Writer and Performer Candace Johnson. Photos: Cynthia Smalley