Children’s community theater teaches more than stagecraft
Over more than 50 years of involvement in community theater, I’ve had many rewarding experiences, but few have been as special as the Springfield Jr. Civic Theatre’s production of “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer Jr.” at the John Legend Theater in December.
For this show, Civic Theatre had a strong partnership with Development Disabilities of Clark County, which provided rehearsal space and encouraged the children they serve to audition. We made a commitment to find a role for every young person who wanted to participate, so we ended up with a cast of more than 80 children, ages 4 to 13.
Some of the children had been in other shows, but many had never been in any kind of show. Others had never been in a full production with lights, sound, makeup, and costumes on a professional stage. Many were typically developing, and others were not. With this wide disparity of ages, abilities, and experience, there was a huge opportunity to learn more than just stagecraft.
The children learned about vocal projection, gestures, character development and stage fright. After 10 weeks of dancing, singing and acting, they learned that practice builds proficiency and confidence.
They also gained a new understanding of other children and how to appreciate the unique qualities of each other, no matter how different. A student who initially didn’t like crowds and preferred not to be touched became someone who huddled with his castmates and hugged them often. Students with mobility issues were helped by castmates. The whole group learned to say “hello” in sign language, and all joined in signing the final song of the performance.
The story of Rudolph is filled with examples of individuals being excluded from a larger group. But in the end, everyone learns to appreciate the each other’s unique qualities and that the whole group benefits when others are included.
We learned so much more than how to put on a show. We learned to value other people, how to accommodate individuals who need a little help, and that a group working together can help everyone achieve their goals.