Creating Access to Community Theatre for Young Artists with Special Needs

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This production is unique because all of the featured roles are filled by young people (ages 11-24) with developmental disabilities including down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, ADD/ADHD, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, visual impairments, hearing impairments, and other neurological disorders. For the Penguin Project, these young people are called "artists."

 

The artists are joined on stage by their peer mentors, a group of students (ages 12-24) without disabilities, who have volunteered to work with them side-by-side and guide them through 14 weeks of rehearsals and the final production. By creating unrestricted access to the performing arts, The Penguin Project® demonstrates that the special challenges of a disability need not handicap a child’s ability to participate in life’s experiences.

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Our penguins may not be able to fly, but that does not prevent their spirits from soaring.

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To learn more about the National Penguin Project, visit their site here.

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