ASD and musical theatre

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 2/17/15 at 7:44pm

Hi everyone, I am part of a select group of theatre-loving suburb-dwellers who are trying to get a new company off the ground. We're hoping to specialize in concert-style productions of shows that highlight emotional and social issues- hence our name, Spectrum Productions.

Donate here. Updated On: 1/28/16 at 07:44 PM

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 2/17/15 at 8:34pm

This is a lovely idea! There are so many great musicals from that era that never get any productions.

It can be like a small scale Encores!

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 2/17/15 at 8:39pm

Thank you so much, Mr. Nowack! What a lovely comparison there. In fact, it was the recent Encores production of Lady Be Good that gave us the idea.

:)

[Fantod]

Posted: 2/17/15 at 9:29pm

If you guys ever find a way to do Very Warm for May, I will get on a plane immediately and go see every performance. Sounds like a wonderful idea.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 2/20/15 at 11:19pm

Thank you, Fantod. It WOULD really be something if we managed to get the Hammerstein Estate on our side like that...

Until then- can someone suggest a fundraising idea or two? We already know about grants, but they tend to take a while and I don't know if quotes from Tams Witmark expire.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 2/24/15 at 9:07pm

Which shows would you like to see done, and are there any on this list that may be implausible for a new company?

Potential Inaugural Season Ideas:
OH KAY (a definite)
ANYTHING GOES
CAROUSEL IN CONCERT
SOUTH PACIFIC IN CONCERT
CRAZY FOR YOU
GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES
MAME (a la 54 Below Sings)
A FUNNY THING...FORUM (technically 1962...)
VERY WARM FOR MAY (a girl can dream?)

[Fantod]

Posted: 2/24/15 at 9:27pm

South Pacific might be tough.

I think Sally, Sunny, Very Good Eddie, Panama Hattie, or Oh, Boy! could be great.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 2/24/15 at 9:29pm

I thought about Oh Boy as well, though I'm not terribly familiar with it.

R+H has a concert version of South Pacific available for licensing which has all the songs and an optional narration...

[Fantod]

Posted: 2/24/15 at 10:09pm

I just meant to cast the roles. You need an ethnically diverse cast to sing a technically difficult score. Plus, it's very well known unlike some of the other shows you mentioned.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 3/6/15 at 10:40pm

True that. That show has so many standards sung out of context that I all but forgot that the cast must be ethnic.

At this rate, we're not even gonna get our FIRST show going! *facepalm*

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 1/28/16 at 2:22pm

Hi everyone,

I'm bumping this because I've been thinking about it again. I think in my hometown of Staten Island, we could use a niche, one that's unaffected by the community theatre politics I hear so much about. Specifically, I'd want to use my company to highlight emotional and social struggles as felt by me, an autistic person, to spread awareness and help others who may be on the spectrum.

Thoughts/ideas?

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 1/28/16 at 2:28pm

As a producer with ASD, I just want to say it's incredible what you're doing, and bringing attention to the emotional and social struggles of people like us is very important. But the question I have is, would you be restricting your oeuvre to material specifically about ASD, or would it be people with ASD tackling their personal emotional and social issues via involvement with the arts?

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 1/29/16 at 10:22am

I think it would be the latter, G-Del. I know the theatre has helped me immensely in my ASD experience.

Also, thank you for your kind words...and for liking my Facebook page. :)

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 1/29/16 at 10:40am

I do my best. :)

 

And good thing it's the second, because I would imagine there's not really a lot of the first out there unless one writes their own. (Not a bad idea, but a whole season of original material is hard to sell.)

 

(Also, while I'm here, the GoFundMe link isn't working.)

Updated On: 1/29/16 at 10:40 AM

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 1/29/16 at 4:35pm

I know, the link has been defunct for a while...I tried to delete it from that original post but it won't let me for some reason.

I myself have only written one piece related to personal autism, and even then the character's diagnosis is merely implied...simply because I can't portray living with it as thoroughly as I'd like.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 10/13/16 at 9:32am

Hello BWW! I hope some of you will be able to join me for my solo show at 54 Below this February. 25% of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Autism Self Advocacy Network! So excited to be presenting this. Even if you can't make it, spread the word!

"Amanda DeLalla makes her Feinstein’s/54 Below debut in Alone in the Woods. You’ve seen Sondheim’s masterpiece performed by a cast of 18 and a cast of 10…now see it done by a cast of one. Featuring an abridged version of the book and score, Amanda simultaneously tells the fairytales’ story and her own: as an artist with Asperger’s. Along with special guests, see Into the Woods as never before and contribute to the cause of autism acceptance."

More info and ticket purchasing!