Community outreach has always been a core tenet of Area Stage Company’s theatrical philosophy, which is why we host productions that enrich the lives of both our actors and our audience. Theatre should be available to everyone and that is why our Inclusion Theatre Project is so important to us. ITP has given us a chance to engage with audiences and actors who wouldn’t normally take the center spotlight!
ITP is unique in that it is the only program within the South Florida community to focus on giving those with disabilities a stage on which they can hone their creative talents. At ASC we like to focus on our actors’ abilities rather than their disabilities because of all the amazing benefits it yields. IPT is a place to make friends and build one’s confidence while bonding with other like-minded individuals. We don’t just educate about the theatre, we teach our actors about who they truly are as individuals.
Unfortunately, ever since the state vetoed our funding we’ve found it difficult to keep ITP’s doors open. We’ve had to progressively cut the program down to only a few dozen students, which is down significantly from the over 300 students we were able to serve. Community outreach performances used to take place about 10 times per year but all of that success is now in jeopardy as we try to find ways to keep the ITP program open for all.
Fewer outreach performances for our actors also means ASC will have fewer special sensory-friendly productions available for our audiences. Sensory-friendly, or relaxed performances, are increasingly popular in the performing arts world as they provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for individuals with autism or other sensory processing differences.
Our performances featured modifications to our lighting, sound, and overall environment, as well as a relaxed attitude toward audience behavior. These performances have been a great way of making performing arts more accessible and inclusive to everyone in Miami because of the welcoming and supportive environment they provided. ASC still does offer sensory-friendly performances and if you’d like to learn more about them you can visit our website or check out the Miami Herald’s latest feature on ASC’s sensory-friendly shows.
You can also show your support by donating to the ITP. Every dollar you donate can help us make a big difference in the lives of our ITP actors.
