guage. Many people would see this group and give up, or tell the nonverbal participants that they would not be able to perform, but not Craig. He made sure every participant had the support they needed to accomplish their goals and have a role in the performance at the end of the session. It was through community partnerships with Able Academy, a local school that works to provide quality education to people on the autism spectrum, and other therapists that The Naples Players was able to provide an environment where each participant had the professional attention and support necessary to achieve their full potential. When the kids performed at the end of each session, their parents and friends who came to watch the show were blown away by what they had created in such a short time. Just as important as opportunities designed specifically for people with special needs, are opportunities for integrating people with special needs into general society. One of the girls who participated in the Acting for Autism Spectrum Disorder class later participated in the Third Act Mini-Musical summer production of James and the Giant Peach. The Third Act production has mostly served “neurotypical” kids – that is, kids without disabilities. However, this girl participated fully and had the opportunity to act, sing, and dance along with her neurotypical peers. She even had some solos that she performed with aplomb! This was an amazing opportunity for her, but it was also an amazing opportunity for the kids she performed with. Some of these neurotypical children might have grown up taught by society to believe the negative stereotypes of people with special needs. Now, rather than being afraid of people with special needs, they will always remember working with this girl and how she was more alike than different. They will grow up to be kinder, more understanding members of our community. They will have learned just as much from this experience as she did, if not more. All of these programs serve The Naples Players’ goal to not only provide opportunities for people with special needs, but also to start a conversation throughout the community and increase the visibility of people with special needs. The more the community talks about this, the more people will learn and understand. As a result, more people will provide similar opportunities for engagement and will tear down the stigma and fears so many people associate with individuals with special needs. 66
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