SENSE Theatre Benefit At DMTC

Left: Finale. Frank D'Ambrosio and the theater kids sing "High Hopes".


Since the organization of this fundraising event was handled largely outside the usual DMTC channels, I didn't quite know what to expect on Friday evening.

Left: What transpired was one of the largest and most enthusiastic events in DMTC history!

The preview article in the Davis Enterprise explained the event well:

The Davis community has an opportunity to help the formation of a new inclusive theater program for youth called SENSE Theatre, during a benefit program taking place at 7 p.m. Friday at Davis Musical Theatre Company's Hoblit Performing Arts Theater, 607 Peña Drive.

...The event will raise funds to create a program for the dramatic arts that is structured to include children with autism, a developmental disability that affects a person's ability to communicate and interact with others in various ways, and to varying degrees.

Patrons will be treated to wine and cheese appetizers, followed by a program that will feature autistic children performing with neurotypical actor peers. Broadway actor Franc D'Ambrosio also will give a musical performance.

D'Ambrosio made his debut on Broadway in the first revival of "Sweeney Todd," and also has been called "the world's longest-running Phantom," thanks to performances in the national tour of "Phantom of the Opera," and a San Francisco run that lasted more than five years.

SENSE Theatre is the brainchild of several acquaintances, and resulted from a mutual passion for the theater and a desire to create a social environment for children with autism, so they could interact positively with others. Experienced young actors will be cast alongside their autistic peers, to perform entire plays or musicals.

The idea to create SENSE Theatre came about during ongoing conversations between Blythe Corbett, an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at the UC Davis MIND Institute; Christine Totah, a devoted parent advocate; and Jeni Price, a theater director and special educator. They met often to discuss their mutual love of theater, and their background in autism.

"I've crossed paths on a number of occasions with Christine," Corbett said, "and she's very involved with the autism community for personal and professional reasons; she also has children who are very involved in theater. We have these mutual interests that evolved over our interactions."

Totah's autistic son has prior experience doing theater with Price.

"It's scripted with all the social cues. It's written out for us," Totah explained. "All of the sudden he had social skills therapy, speech therapy and movement and music therapy, and he was having fun and I was having fun, and we were participating in the community. I told Blythe that I had to figure out a way for other parents and kids to do this!"

Corbett, after a 12-year career as a professional actor and writer, went on to college to become a clinical psychologist.

"I have an abiding love and passion for the theater," she said. "Theater can really help many of us to understand human behavior: especially social behavior and emotional expression, a lot of the things that children with autism have difficulty with.

"Many of us learn by observing others; that's how a lot of us naturally pick up our skills. Children with autism often have difficulty with this; they have to kind of be 'trained' to be observers of behavior. We don't want the children to watch videotapes all the time, or learn from computers; we want them to learn from the real world.

"That's really where the theater comes in, on a number of levels."

Both Corbett and Totah strongly felt that they were on to an intervention theater program that would be of great value to the young autistic community.

"The Davis Musical Theatre Company has been fantastic," Corbett said. "They've really opened up their theater family to us."

As for the evening's "star act":

"Franc D'Ambrosio is performing for all the right reasons," Corbett added. "He is a gifted and generous performer and person.

"He gets it."

The group's first undertaking will be a full-stage production of Disney's "The Jungle Book," scheduled for June.

"It will be a community-based environment that's real world," Corbett said, "integrating a child with autism into a theatrical community where we all belong, and making everyone fit."

To say that this group is excited would seem an understatement, and Totah summed it up best:

"Come to the show; come to the show!"

Left: Master of Ceremonies Ed Bazel, and two of the SENSE Theatre founders, Blythe Corbett and Christine Totah.

Left: 'Just One Person', from "Snoopy!"

Left: 'Just One Person', from "Snoopy!"

Left: Esteban M. sings "Your Song".

After the show, I talked to E.B., who was very moved by the entire show, but particularly by Esteban's performance. Paraphrasing the fellow, he said: "I work with autism, but as a scientist, in the lab. I see the data; generally I don't see the kid. You should be very proud of what you are doing here. That performance - that should be impossible, but here it is, right before your eyes! It inspires me to try harder in the lab!"

Left: The "Blue Skirts" from St. Francis High School sing 'Kiss The Girl' from "The Little Mermaid".

Left: Cody C. as 'Horton' sings 'Alone In The Universe' from "Suessical".

Below: Ana C. as 'Jojo' sings 'Alone In The Universe' from "Suessical".



Left: The Ambassadors of the Sacramento Theatre Company - Young Professionals Conservatory, sing 'Sing a Song' (by Earth Wind And Fire).

Left: The Ambassadors of the Sacramento Theatre Company - Young Professionals Conservatory, sing 'Sing a Song' (by Earth Wind And Fire).

Left: Anna Miles sings 'It's An Art'.

Left: Anna Miles sings 'It's An Art'.

Left: Kyle Nielson, Davis Muncy, and Ryan Buesch, from Galena Street East (with guest Ben Lewis) sing 'Bye Bye Bye' (by N*SYNC).

Left: Flying Monkey Productions sing 'Children Will Listen' from "Into The Woods".

Left and Below: Frank D'Ambrosio sings 'Almost Like Being In Love' from "Oklahoma", 'Phantom Medley' from "Phantom Of The Opera", and 'This Is The Moment' from "Jekyll & Hyde".



Left: Finale. Frank D'Ambrosio and the theater kids sing "High Hopes".

Left: Finale. Frank D'Ambrosio consults the lyrics to "High Hopes".