Gianna – I’m 14 years old and homeschooled. Who do you play in the show and can you tell me a little bit about yourself? I sat down with a few of the children after one of their most recent rehearsals for the upcoming show to learn a little more about their experiences working on the show: Once there, she encounters famous characters such as the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Woodsman, the Scarecrow, Glinda the Good Witch, and the Wicked Witch of the West. For those who are not well acquainted with the tale, it follows a young girl named Dorothy and her dog Toto who get carried away by a cyclone to the magical land of Oz. NDCT’s newest children’s production is the timeless story of The Wizard of Oz. Her deliberate choice to create a fully inclusive company that is welcoming to all children, both the neurotypical and neurodiverse, is beautifully admirable. It has always been her intention to create a safe space for the kids that feels more like a family than a theatre company. Her love and dedication towards each child she crosses paths with is palpably evident when speaking with her and seeing how she interacts with all of the young actors. Mervine has put on a children’s production every year since, even going as far as to put on an outdoor, COVID-safe production in 2020. The New Direction Community Theater’s (NDCT) children’s program was founded by Sherry Mervine in the summer of 2011 with their inaugural production of Holka Polka and displays this very thing with refreshing beauty.
– As someone who has immensely benefited from participating in the arts as a young child and adolescent, I can attest to the power that it has in allowing children to safely explore themselves in a judgment-free zone.
0 kommentar(er)
