Theater for the brain? How a Miami-area troupe reaches out with sensory-friendly shows
People love theater. But sometimes the lights are too bright or the volume too loud.
That can make it difficult for some families to attend performances in South Florida. It can also make it difficult for actors.
Area Stage Company and Conservatory Director Maria Banda-Rodaz believes theater should be accessible to everyone. Her belief led to the creation in 2014 of Area Stage’s Inclusive Theatre Project, also known as ITP. The project offers children and young adults diagnosed with developmental disabilities an opportunity to sing, dance and act.
ITP shows, like the upcoming holiday production “Elf Jr. The Musical,” are also sensory friendly. The production was designed to be inclusive for both cast and audience members with autism, sensory sensitivities or developmental disabilities.
The show’s lights, for example, will be dimmer. No strobe lights will flash. And the volume will be lower, with ear coverings available for anyone who needs them, Banda-Rodaz said.
These simple changes can reduce the stress and discomfort some people may feel when attending or participating in a show. People with sensory sensitivities can get overwhelmed by sights and sounds. Sensory issues, for example, are common among people with autism. Actor’s Playhouse in Coral Gables and the Broward Center for the Performing Arts also sometimes host sensory-friendly performances.
So, what is an ITP show rehearsal like? Pretty much like other shows.
Choreographer and ITP Associate Director Irma Becker leads the group of performers through a musical number, with waving hands and twirls, Banda-Rodaz talks about how much work the cast has put in over the past several months, rehearsing three times a week in their South Miami studio, on the second floor of the Shops at Sunset Place in South Miami, to ensure that they’re ready for opening night.
But there is a different focus.
“What I see are the results of working one-on-one with these children and I see the value of the arts in the development of the brain,” said Banda-Rodaz in a phone interview before the rehearsal.
“I see memorization, I see a spatial awareness, because they know how to move, where to move on the stage. I see independence,” she said, reiterating her belief that theater can help teach “tools for life.” The ITP program has even worked with nine students with mutism since at birth who are now singing, she said.
For singers like Elizabeth Bales, 22, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, being part of the ITP program has helped her get a “sense of belonging and an artistic home.” Bales has been singing since she was a child. And she’s never shied away from the spotlight, her mom said. The pop-opera soprano’s YouTube page is filled with videos of her singing a variety of tunes.
Bales’ parents learned she had musical talent after listening to a recording she did on the computer at age 7. That led to her joining Kendall Music Studios, participating in the Children’s Choir and eventually joining Area Stage’s Inclusive Theatre Project in 2019, where she’s developed her musical talent and explored acting.
In her first show with Area Stage, Bales played Wendy in “Peter Pan Jr.” at the Riviera Theatre in Coral Gables. She’s performing as Emily Hobbs in “Elf Jr.”
For her mother, Betty Bales, watching her on stage is “priceless.”
“They teach them professionalism, punctuality, respect of others, but they’re also producing a project ... they’re involved in the show,” Mom said. “I feel blessed that I’m here speaking about it and that she belongs to this theater group, and I say that with pride, I just cannot imagine being without it.”
For the past nine years, Area Stage has offered the Inclusive Theatre Project free to families and has partnered with schools in Miami-Dade County. But this year, the program has only been able to work with 76 students, instead of the typical 300, because of cuts in state funding, Banda-Rodaz said. And there’s a wait list.
That’s why Banda-Rodaz is grateful for the outpouring of support Area Stage received on Give Miami Day, the annual philanthropic fundraiser. Donors gave $53,084 to the ITP program, surpassing its $50,000 goal. Banda-Rodaz said the money raised will be used to help support students and toward the cost of productions.
“Through ITP,” she said, “I think I’m leaving the world a better place.”
How to support Area Stage
Banda-Rodaz said people can support Area Stage and its initiatives, including the ITP program, through volunteering, donations or by attending shows. There are also some positions open on Area Stage’s board of directors.
Anyone interested in volunteering or donating can email ITP Associate Director Irma Becker at irma@areastage.org
If you go
What: Elf Jr. The Musical
Where: Area Stage Company and Conservatory’s Black Box Theatre, 5701 Sunset Dr. Suite 286
When: Dec. 9 - Dec. 11 and Dec. 16- Dec. 18
Price: $20-$40
How to get tickets: Visit https://www.simpletix.com/e/elf-jr-tickets-120231
This story was originally published December 8, 2022 at 6:30 AM.
