Once a year, groups of children and young adults with developmental disabilities take to stages across the country to perform a modified version of a well-known Broadway musical. These magical performances are orchestrated by The Penguin Project, a national program that seeks to demonstrate that the special challenges of disability should not handicap a child’s ability to participate in life experiences. The Belle Theatre in Cape Coral has recently joined in this effort.
“We are the first and only Southwest Florida chapter of The Penguin Project,” said Belle Theatre founder and Producing Artistic Director Tyler Young. “That’s something we’re really proud of and super excited to kick off here coming in the next couple of months in addition to our full main stage that we offer all year long, and really being a home for arts for everybody in Southwest Florida.”
Since its inception, Belle Theatre has strived to create a safe performance space for everyone. But including children and young adults with disabilities in theatrical productions comes with challenges.
“We stumbled upon the Penguin Project kind of by accident, honestly, and really saw that they had … a protocol created for how things were handled, the ways to deal with or navigate the difficult situations that might arise,” Young noted. “Versus starting something from the ground up, we had a meeting with the founder of the organization, who’s very involved in the programming, who’s super supportive in the space, and we applied to be a chapter organization and were approved.”
The program works by pairing aspiring actors with developmental disabilities with peer mentors.
“It’s a whole pairing process that we go through with the actor and the mentor to really find a good fit, and that peer mentor is by their side from start to end of the program,” Young explained. “They’ll get scripts. They learn the show. They get auditioned. They cast it. We do dances that are adaptable to their needs, and they really get the feel of an entire Broadway-style production that’s accommodating to their needs.”
It is not necessary to be performing artists to be a peer mentor. Anyone with a passion to help others reach their full potential can volunteer. The Belle is also looking for sponsors.
“We have our first kick-off meeting in October … and it’s all completely free to the participants. So there’s no cost for the students to be in it. It is all sponsor- and donor- funded, and if there’s somebody out there that’s looking to be a sponsor for special education or performing arts, this is the place to be.”
THE BACKGROUND:
The program contemplates four months of weekly rehearsals that culminate in a Broadway-style performance in May.
Established in 2004 by Dr. Andrew Morgan, The Penguin Project has evolved into a national program, with chapter sites throughout the United States.
The program provides a supportive environment for children with disabilities to explore their creative talents. For this purpose, the term “developmental disabilities” is quite broad and includes, by way of example, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and other neurological disorders.
The Penguin Project underscores what therapists have long known: participation in the performing arts has therapeutic value by enhancing social interaction, communication skills, self-confidence and self-esteem. The program’s impact extends well beyond the stage to create a social network for children who previously had very few friends and limited social opportunities.
The origin of the name “Penguin Project” comes from the unique characteristics of penguins. They are extremely playful and curious, and work well together.
More importantly, they have a “disability” that distinguishes them from other birds – they can’t fly. Instead, penguins waddle and toboggan on their bellies over the snow, and are excellent swimmers in the water. They have adapted to the challenges of their environment and have not allowed their unique difference to interfere with their lives.