ARTS FEATURE
I could see that, sitting in front of the stage, “Tree” Instead, they’re both rolling on the floor, laughing performance at its closing Sunday matinee. (resident teaching artist Kaitlin Gentry) hadn’t hysterically. That includes the upcoming Tropical Secrets: “On the Other Side of Moonbeam, we play all Holocaust Refugees in Cuba, opening Nov. 6 and raised her two green glow sticks, the signal that the time!” Shebopshebe responds once she and running through Nov. 14. “sensory-rich” moments were around the corner. Anybody who had downloaded the Parent’s Oobladee have caught their breaths. “It’s a big deal!” Higginbotham often says — And this is where Tyler breaks his silence, in a because it’s so true in so many ways. Guide from the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte website would also know that the balloons were voice loud enough for Mom sitting next to him to She’s preparing actors, directors, designers, Sensory-friendly theatre “being blown up and let go, but they do not pop or hear (it’s also loud enough for me — his grandpa technicians and ushers for the special performance productions cater to their — to hear, sitting two seats away, next to his sister. — as well as carefully preparing printed and online make much sound.” exceptional crowds “That’s not funny!” Tyler calls out. Tyler’s attention never wavered after the balloon guides for protective parents and surprise-averse Nobody turns around to shush him. Nobody children. This involves meeting face-to-face with scare, but he didn’t remain completely quiet. BY PERRY TANNENBAUM After that point, Gloria Bond Clunie’s Birthday glares. At all of Children’s Theatre’s sensory-friendly the stage manager, the stage director, the musical Suit script becomes heavier and more emotional. performances, autistic 9-year-olds like Tyler are free director and the actors. Tyler made a surprising and daring decision at When Shebopshebe shows up from the other side to call out, fidget, roam around the theater, cower in Higginbotham also attends the designers’ ImaginOn before attending the Sunday matinee of of the rainbow, Oobladah is shocked to discover a corner, or find refuge in a quiet room, where they run-through, dress rehearsals and performances My Wonderful Birthday Suit. during the run of the show, His mom, Ilana, had been where she scribbles over the sure Tyler would want to wear Children’s Theatre director of noise-canceling headphones production Steven Levine’s at the performance, so I had script, containing all the light to assure her that Children’s and sound cues. Theatre would be offering Where should the volume them prior to the show. on the mics be turned down? Otherwise, she would need Where should a scream to pack his set of headphones be changed into a loud before they flew in from El Paso exclamation? Where should a and make sure he had them live gunshot effect be changed when they left their hotel. into a muffled recording? But Tyler refused the Where must a scene with headphones that were strobe effects — almost available — in a really cool automatically a two-lightvariety of colors, it should be cue alert — be redesigned mentioned — at the entrance to curb triggers that could be of McColl Family Theatre. hazardous to seizure-prone Instead, he chose a daykids? glo green worm, about eight Amid the final tweaks to inches long, from a wide lights and sounds happening array of fidgets and weighted during the run of the show, cuddles on display. Higginbotham takes hundreds His younger sister, of photos — because the A STAFF MEMBER HOLDS GLOW SIGNALS TO KEEP KIDS INFORMED DURING A SENSORY-FRIENDLY PERFORMANCE OF ‘MY BEAUTIFUL BIRTHDAY SUIT.’ Brynn, chose a little spotted PHOTO BY PERRY TANNENBAUM Parent’s Guide and the Child’s Dalmatian doggie that Guide are also illustrated fullweighed five pounds. More surprises. that Oobladee’s other best friend is brown. From can still watch and hear all the comedy and drama color scenarios that prepare audiences for what they Tyler had to live with his choice. Now when the start, when he points at Shebopshebe and with their parents. will see. Oobladee and Oobladah, best friends on this side says, “You’re brown!” it doesn’t sound at all like a That’s really the point: they’re free to be That’s helpful when a stage adaptation or a set of Moonbeam, started blowing up balloons for description — and she hears that clearly. themselves without being judged. design significantly departs from an original book the surprise birthday party they were planning for The pointing and the tone get meaner, more that kids and their parents are already familiar with. Shebopshebe, Oobladee’s bestie from the other side hateful, overtly racist. She also annotates the script for “Tree” so she Creating a safe space of Moonbeam … Tyler covered his ears with both “People say that brown skin is …,” Oobladah can closely follow and precisely time her one-light Julie Higginbotham of Precious Developments hands, dreading the moment when a balloon would stammers, leaning over a ledge and pointing an and two-light cues. has been overseeing the sensory-friendly suddenly explode. accusing finger down at Shebopshebe. He’s heard performances at Children’s Theatre since 2016, when Higginbotham remained involved in the last 90 Yet he didn’t cower or turn away. He didn’t run whispers that “you know…” and finally he blurts minutes before the sensory-friendly performance ImaginOn’s new project was still a pioneering rarity. for cover. His blue eyes remained glued to the stage. out, “together — we should not play!” and even while “Tree” was upfront waving her Now, every run of every mainstage Children’s I was sure that none of the balloons would You might think the two girls would be furious. Theatre production gets a sensory-friendly traffic-control glow sticks. explode. Even though I hadn’t seen this show before,
Pg. 6 NOV 3 - NOV 16, 2021 - QCNERVE.COM
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