The Penguin Project returns to the Wetumpka Depot

By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer

The Penguins are back in Wetumpka.

After more than two years off the stage, The Penguin Project returns to the stage of the Wetumpka Depot Players with the cabaret ‘Don’t Stop Believing.’

Wetumpka Depot Players artistic director Kristy Meanor said the penguins are ecstatic to return to the stage.

“This is their first entry back into production since the pandemic shut us down,” Meanor said. “We are really excited they are back. They are ready to put together a whole evening of song and dance and just fabulous music.”

The last production the penguins performed for the public was ‘Annie.’ They were in rehearsals for ‘High School Musical’ more than two years ago when the COVID-19 pandemic halted everything.

“They have been over the moon to be back,” Meanor said. “They were so excited for ‘High School Musical’ when it got shot down. The last thing they really did was ‘Annie’ and they did a phenomenal job with that.”

To help ease the penguins back into the routine, Meanor said organizers just pulled

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The p.m. Nov. 10 - 12. together something easy and fun before cranking things back up big time.

“What we decided to do when we came back from the pandemic, was we were going to do a little soft opening with the cabaret,” Meanor said. “They have been rehearsing songs from some of their favorite Broadway musicals. Then in January they will hit it hard again and start working on ‘High School Musical.’”

Meanor said The Penguin Project is the brainchild of a developmental pediatrician.

“He had a love of theater and a big population of special needs kids in his practice,” Meanor said. “He put together this penguin project program occurred to the victim and who initially gave statements to investigators,” 19th Judicial Circuit Chief Deputy District Attorney C.J. Robinson said. “The state produced evidence that this material witness was intentionally subverting attempts by law enforcement to be served and whilst doing so was communicating with Shelton about the status of court proceedings. Shelton even secretly informed her daughter that a warrant had been issued to secure her daughter’s attendance as a witness.”

Prosecutors contend Shelton and her daughter were the only people present when Rosalie’s injuries occurred.

Authorities kept tabs on Shelton and the daughter by monitoring phone messages. Court documents detail how Shelton hid her daughter from law enforcement, paying rent for an apartment in Prattville and driving her halfway to Florida while trying to prevent her daughter from being served a summons to testify against her.

“Shelton’s daughter was located by law enforcement and was taken into custody,” Robinson said.

Judge Bill Lewis set the trial to resume immediately with the same jury empaneled 13 months earlier. Through her attorney Jennifer Holden, Shelton objected stating it was prejudicial and argued for the release from jail of Shelton’s daughter.

Rosalie’s mother Quneshia Rawls testified describing her toddler daughter being full of energy from the witness stand.

“She liked to dance around and sing into silverware,” Rawls said in 2019. “Her dad snores, so she would go around the house fake to give special needs individuals an opportunity to take part in a theater experience because he knew it would help them grow self confidence and self esteem.”

Meanor said the penguin project is just as important to others involved in the project as the penguins.

“The concept is that the special needs artists are front and center,” Meanor said.

“They are the stars of the show and they are paired with a non-disabled peer mentor who helps them along the way if they need help with any kind of movement or remembering lines. The peer mentor and the special needs artist work together to create this snoring. She was sassy too, quick to express her opinion. She was a happy child.”

Rosalie died in Birmingham at Children’s Hospital three days after what prosecutors described as a brutal attack on July 20, 2017.

The state called witnesses to explain the trauma caused to Rosalie would not come from an accident.

“The state elicited expert testimony detailing the extensive head injuries and abusive head trauma that could only be caused by ‘violently shaking and slamming the skull of this child against a hard surface’ resulting in her death,” Robinson said. “The long-time expert testified the fatal injuries came from force imposed on the victim’s head that was equivalent to a high-speed car wreck with the car flipping end-over-end and then being slammed onto a hard, ungiving surface.”

Shelton chose not to put on a defense.

Robinson thanked law enforcement and the victim’s family for their diligence and unwavering resolve to obtain justice.

“First of all, this case does not end this way without patience and a commitment to the process from Judge Lewis and the circuit clerk,” Robinson said. “The Wetumpka Police Department is to be commended for their dedication and hard work on this case as investigators worked tirelessly to uncover the truth. Evil is real. What Shelton did to this child was evil. I am proud of the Wetumpka Police Department and our prosecutors for never blinking an eye and staying focused in our search for truth and our pursuit of justice for Rosalie. She was a beautiful two-year-old girl who deserved to have us fight for her with all our being. I also thank the victim’s family for supporting us every step of the way. It is unfortunate the defendant showed no signs of remorse nor accepted any responsibility for her actions.” performance.”

Meanor said the performance is important but what happens behind the curtains is where the real magic of the program occurs.

“What is really important is the relationships that are built during the rehearsals,” Meanor said. “It teaches empathy for the non-disabled peer mentor. It teaches them patience and tolerance for people who may have different needs than them. It’s truly a beautiful program and one we find so important.”

Showtimes for The Penguin Project at the Wetumpka Depot Players are at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

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