Students with Autism to Perform Sound of Music

The cast has been practicing for months. Sets, built by students, staff and volunteers from Novartis are in the final stages of production and the costumes are ready. Performing in a high school musical is a rite of passage for many students, and TCI’s students are no exception. On May 24th and 25th, a very enthusiastic cast of 33 high schoolers will perform The Sound of Music at the Bickford Theatre at the Morris Museum. And while high school musicals are as common as spring flowers this time of year, what makes TCI’s production a little different is that the all the members of the cast have autism.

Mounting a spring musical every other year is a long-standing tradition at TCI and past productions have included The Wizard of Oz, Grease and Bye Bye Birdie. However, this is the first time that a production will be performed on a professional stage. Previous musicals, which played to sell out crowds, were performed on a raised platform in the school gym, so the cast is excited to finally have the opportunity to work on a full stage.

“I have very high expectations of the cast, and they never disappoint,” commented Linda Feldman, TCI music educator and director, musical director and choreographer of The Sound of Music. “The students have worked very hard to learn their lines, the songs, and the dance numbers. Having autism presents additional challenges for some of the cast members, but they have all risen to the occasion. I am very proud of them.”

“The mission of the Children’s Institute is to focus on the whole person rather than the disability and to provide a spectrum of options for our students. We work to provide a typical school environment for our students, while providing them with the assistance and accommodations needed to ensure their success,” said Dr. Bruce Ettinger, TCI Executive Director/Superintendent. “TCI staff is thrilled to help our students develop this production. No doubt the sense of accomplishment the students experience will carry over to other parts of their lives.”

Ticket sales for the performance have been brisk and TCI is expecting its largest audiences ever. However, some tickets are still available at www.tcischool.org/musical for both evenings. In addition to being an enjoyable evening of music and theatre, this musical is an exciting opportunity to see students with autism shine.

About The Children’s Institute (TCI)

For more than 50 years, TCI has been a pioneer in serving individuals with special learning needs. Today, TCI includes two non-profit schools, approved by the New Jersey State Board of Education, which serve children from ages 3-21 on the autism spectrum and with related disabilities, and The Center for Independence, a program for adults over 21, approved by the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities and the NJ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. TCI is committed to developing the academic, social, behavioral, communication, life and career skills of children, young adults, and adults on the autism spectrum.