Thursday, April 19, 2012

Spectrum: An Evening of Theatre and Autism

From ATC Executive Director Dale Savidge



Participants engage a variety of creative outlets.
Much of our applied theatre work is strictly process based; it is never intended to be performed in front of a passive audience. The value of this work is in the acting and reacting, individually or in a group. It is learner centered and often open-ended. Certain groups would not be able to focus on the process if they were distracted by the stress of an impending public performance.


But there are situations when working toward a performance can enhance the value of the applied theatre program. Such was the case with the young adult autism group I do theatre with here in the Upstate of SC. We had done games, role playing, interviewing and other theatre-based activities in our monthly meetings. We will continue to do these kinds of AT activities. But I sensed the challenge of preparing to perform would enhance our work together, and after 3 public performances last week my hunch was confirmed.

Our cast began devising Spectrum: An Evening of Theatre and Autism in early March, in weekly Saturday rehearsals. We began meeting for 2 hours and then stretched it to 3 as the performances approached. We worked together with 7 neuro-typical actors from an applied theatre class I was teaching in the spring semester. Pairing typical actors with actors on the spectrum was an essential component of our success.

I had the idea to use the song “On the Road Again” to unify what would obviously be a diverse program. Our scenic artists and designer took the song and encouraged the young adults on the spectrum to draw their impressions of being on the road with friends. Their drawings were projected on 16’ flats; they painted them the next week, and they became a scenic backdrop for the performances.



Play participants in rehearsal.
A few of the cast members had never spoken or stood in front of an audience; some were hesitant to speak at all. Some of them rarely left their homes and spent most of their time on their computers. Their courage to participate in our games and rehearsals was inspiring to all of the neuro-typical people working on the show. What surprised me most was the decision by 2 of the least verbal autistics to sing in the program. Others offered to paint, move scenery, and be in a small play; these 2 offered to sing solos. Their singing started weak and hesitant but over the course of the 3 performances they became stronger and stronger. Our decision to do multiple performances was rewarded by the continual progress these performers made.


Like many applied theatre artists I continue to direct and produce audience-focused theatre. I also enjoy doing AT work with groups and I enjoy not worrying about that “opening night” deadline looming in the future. It’s easy to get a bit lazy, however, when that “opening night” deadline is not hanging over my head. So the addition of a performance dimension to the autism group here energized and focused me as well as the participants.  It isn’t always appropriate to place a public performance on the minds of your group members, but when it is be courageous and expect courage from your group members and, if your experience is anything like mine, you’ll be rewarded for it!

Spectrum is a play co-produced by the Applied Theatre Center and the North Greenville University Department of Theatre and directed by Dale Savidge.