Curtain Call:

The Golden Isles Penguin Project

WORDS BY LAUREN MCDONALD

Heather Heath has been involved in theatre for a long time, as

The best she’s experienced, though, takes place on the Ritz Theatre stage every summer, when the Golden Isles Penguin

“It’s the best theatre I’ve done because there’s so much passion on the stage,” says Heath, executive director of Golden Isles Arts and Humanities. “They are so happy to be there and performing for everyone, and that is a palpable feeling that

The Penguin Project is an exhibition of a modified version of a well-known musical in which all parts are played by youth with developmental disabilities. The program aims to create a supportive environment for children with disabilities to explore their creativity.

This experience also creates a community for the students and their families, while helping the participants grow in confidence, communication, and other skills.

“We tell them that the goal is to make friends and have fun and do a really good show, because it’s going to be a good show,” says Heath, show director. “We also want their parents and families and friends to see that they can do whatever they want to do if they’re given the opportunity, and we want to give them the opportunity.”

The Penguin Project will perform “The Lion King Jr.” at the Ritz Theatre at 7 p.m. June 15-17 and at 3 p.m. June 18.

Tickets are available for sale online at goldenislesarts.org/programs/penguin-project/.

“The shows tend to sell out, so we tell people to get them fast,” Heath says.

The Penguin Project begins each year in January with an informational meeting, and rehearsals start in February. For months, the performers and their mentors prepare for the production, memorizing the songs, dances, lines, and learning to feel comfortable and confident on stage.

Between the end of the school year in May and debut of the show in June, many of the student actors are attending rehearsals daily to get ready for the show.

Around 40 artists and 40 mentors are involved in this year’s show. They’re supported by a creative team and a small army of volunteers who sew costumes, build sets, and more.

“It’s a mighty team,” Heath says.

“The Lion King” on Broadway is famous for its colorful costumes and elaborate movements. The local production, while on a smaller scale, will bring the same heart.

“We’re looking at all of our different options because we want to blow everybody away,” Heath says.

The artists love this year’s show choice, she says, as many are familiar with the movie and its beloved music.

The Penguin Project began in the Golden Isles in 2017, when Heath, Allyson Jackson, and others came together to make this opportunity available to local youth. The program has had an enormous impact on all involved, Heath says.

“We certainly can see from working with some of the same artists over the years substantial and amazing improvement in their communication skills, their verbal skills, and certainly in their creative talents,” she says.

Many mentors who have worked with the artists on past productions have gone off to college and chosen majors that will one day allow them to work in special education or physical rehabilitation, Heath says.

“This is a family now, and the families want to help each other as much as they can,” she says.

Many parents and caregivers of young people with disabilities experience a feeling of isolation at times, Heath says, and struggle to find community.

The Penguin Project creates that space for many.

“They have folks that they can reach out to,” Heath says.

The artists also gain a whole new social group, and the friendships formed exist beyond the rehearsal space, as many will spend time together outside of the Penguin Project.

“For a lot of our artists this is about a social experience as well because a lot of them didn’t or don’t have that, and now they really do,” Heath says.

When Heath looks back on past years of the Penguin Project, each season is made up of a thousand small moments — often emotional — that in total create an impactful experience for all involved.

She says she’ll be all business at a rehearsal and often will see one of those small moments happen — an actor overcomes a challenge, a mentor supports a breakthrough, or a parent witnesses their child achieve something new.

“I’ll think, ‘OK, I can’t cry now,’” Heath says.

Each season also typically ends with a lot of emotion, Heath says. The adults are crying — with joy — while the artists are filled with pride at their accomplishments on stage.

“They’re just amazingly proud of themselves, and they should be,” Heath says.

The Golden Isles Penguin Project will present Disney’s “The Lion King Jr.” at 7 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, June 15 to 17. There will be a 3 p.m. show June 18. All performances will be at the Ritz Theatre in downtown Brunswick. The Penguin Project features artists with special needs. It is free for all participants, and the program encourages donors to offer their support. To learn more, visit goldenislesarts.org/programs/penguin-project/.