Congratulations to Mr. Jim Cox and Mr. Bob Neumann for their diligent work and to the Richland County Foundation for the grant that will make this venture a reality.
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by Jim Cox
St. Peter’s Parish and School, in collaboration with The Renaissance and Zoot Theatre Company, is pleased to announce a $35,000 grant from the Richland County Foundation for the purpose of working with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and neuro-typical youth to learn fundamentals of puppetry, theatre and storytelling. Storytelling, socialization and pretend play are integral to child development, and research clearly indicates the benefits of theatre and puppetry as very positive modes of play.
The collaboration began to take shape with a chance meeting between Tristan Cupp (Artistic Director at Zoot Theatre Company in Dayton) and Jim Cox (Theater Director at St. Peter’s) last summer during the Mid Ohio Opera’s production of Elixir D’Amour. “The vibrancy of color and shapes, and the remarkable visioning of Zoot’s puppetry was what really impressed me. Tristan and I seemed to connect and it got me thinking that there was something exciting to work on,” said Cox. But, the notion of bringing puppetry to the areas for ASD youth really belongs to Bob Neumann (State Services Coordinator at St. Peter’s) who knew from research and experience the significant positive affect of theater – and puppetry in particular – in benefiting autistic youth. Said Neumann: “The challenge was to create a program that would enhance the autistic child’s social and symbolic capabilities while encouraging their full participation in normalized peer activities.”
The Integrated Theatre Company will reach out to at least 30 to 40 atypical and typical youth who reside in Richland County and are between the ages of 9 and 18. The program will begin with a five-week 2016 summer camp designed to integrate participants and orient them to a puppet-based theatre program. Tristan Cupp will artistically lead the summer effort: “I wanted to offer the youth a focal subject matter – so I suggested an ocean/sea theme. That way participants can design and create puppets with that theme and ultimately a story in mind.”
In the second phase of the program, students will attend two eight-week sessions (fall 2016 and spring 2017), consisting of twice-weekly classes/rehearsals. Each eight-week session will culminate in unique onstage performances with Zoot Theatre Company. Cox will direct the shows.
High school and college students will be recruited to assist during the sessions.
Delightfully, all workshops and performances will be staged at The Renaissance Theater. Director of Operations, Chelsie Thompson, crafted much of the proposal to the Richland County Foundation and was excited to collaborate with the Zoot Theatre Company and this project: “Being able to expand our programming for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder has been a long-standing goal of the Renaissance Education Department. We are so very excited to do that with such qualified, exceptional partners!”
Applications will be available by mid-March and are open to Richland County ASD youth and youth interested in theater, between ages 9 to 18.