The final bow for ‘On the Spectrum’ at the Fountain Theatre.
The final bow for our acclaimed West Coast Premiere of On the Spectrum finally came last Sunday, April 28th, ending a wonderful run of rave reviews and enchanted audiences. Critics and theatergoers were swept away by the heartfelt vulnerability of the script by Ken LaZebnik, the vision and storytelling of the direction by Jacqueline Schultz, the honest passion of the cast (Jeanie Hackett, Virginia Newcomb, Dan Shaked) and the magic of the design team (set – John Iacovelli, lights – Christopher Stokes, video – Jeff Teeter, sound – Peter Bayne, costumes – Naila Alladin-Sanders, props – Misty Carlisle).
A Fountain shout-out to our fabulous production crew: Production Stage Manager – Corey Womack, Assistant Stage Manager – Terri Roberts, Board Operator Jennifer Seifert, House Manager – Jessica Turner, Tech Director – Scott Tuomey).
Our thanks to The Help Group for their support of this production. On the Spectrum was a deeply rewarding run that opened a window for many of us, allowing us to peer into a world we may not otherwise see.
A post-show closing party was held after the final matinee performance last Sunday. Enjoy some snapshots!
Virginia Newcomb & Dan Shaked in ‘On the Spectrum’ at the Fountain Theatre
‘On the Spectrum’ Cast & Director Join ‘Autism in Love’ Film Makers and Autism Specialists for Post-Show Q&A
A special Q&A Talkback will immediately follow the performance of On the Spectrumthis Thursday, April 18th. Scheduled to speak and answer questions from the audience are Dr. Jason Bolton, Chief Psychologist, and Pamela Clark, Director of Autism Schools, from The Help Group; Carolina Groppa, Producer, and Matt Fuller, Director, of the independent film, Autism in Love, andNancy Alspaugh-Jackson of Autism Care and Treatment (ACT Today). The On the Spectrum cast — Jeanie Hackett, Virginia Newcomb and Dan Shaked — and director Jacqueline Schultz will also join the discussion and answer questions from the audience.
The Help Group is the largest, most innovative and comprehensive nonprofit of its kind in the United States serving children with special needs related to autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, ADHD, developmental delays, abuse and emotional problems. It is proud to be a sponsor of the Fountain Theatre’s West Coast premiere of On the Spectrum.
Autism in Love is a feature length documentary film currently in production exploring how adults with autism fall in love and manage romantic relationships. Due for release in 2014.
ACT Today! is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to raise awareness and provide treatment services and support to families to help their children with autism achieve their full potential.
Join us for the Q&A immediately following the performance on Thursday, April 18th at 8pm. It’s going to be fun and interesting.
On the Spectrum Now to April 28 (323) 663-1525MORE
Actress Virginia Newcomb, Help Group CEO Barbara Firestone, actress Jeanie Hackett and actor Dan Shaked at the ‘On the Spectrum’ post-show reception.
Staff, faculty and friends of The Help Group attended the Sunday matinee of On the Spectrum yesterday and enjoyed a post-show reception with the cast immediately following the performance. Everyone was thrilled seeing the play and had a lovely time schmoozing with the artists and staff at the Fountain.
Founded in 1975, The Help Group is the largest, most innovative and comprehensive nonprofit of its kind in the United States serving children with special needs related to autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, ADHD, developmental delays, abuse and emotional problems. The Help Group is a proud sponsor of the Fountain Theatre’s West Coast premiere of On the Spectrum. Among those attending the Sunday matinee from The Help Group were President/CEO Barbara Firestone, Chief Operating Officer Susan Berman, Director of Public Affairs and Special Projects Bradley Shahine, and Director of Autism Schools Pamela Clark.
On the Spectrum is a funny and touching love story between two people with autism. In the play, an online e-chat between Mac, who has Asperger’s, and Iris, who has autism, blossoms into a friendship and love story with a unique and unforgettable difference. The production has earned rave reviews and ends April 28.
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When you see On The Spectrumat the Fountain Theatre you not only get a funny and touching glimpse into a unique world rarely seen. You also witness a truly one-of-a-kind performance. The three actors in On The Spectrum — Jeanie Hackett, Virginia Newcomb and Dan Shaked — have all deservedly earned rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. Newcomb’s portrayal of Iris, the young woman with lower-functioning autism and acute physical and neurological challenges yet blessed with a deep and richly imaginative inner life, is extraordinary. Critics have hailed her performance as “astounding”, “wondrous” and “breathtaking”.
The challenges of the role are enormous. In addition to her non-stop physical ticks, twitches, movement and behavior, Iris struggles with speech and painfully wrestles with forming words and sentences. She communicates online and unseen via the written text of her blog and website (“The Other World”). When forced to converse in person with another human being, she types her thoughts into a hand-held Proloquo computer device which, in turn, “speaks” for her in a computerized voice.
Iris e-chats from “The Other World” with Mac.
This means 80% of Virginia’s live performance is achieved in tandem with Iris’s recorded voice (also done by Newcomb). For the actress, it requires tremendous focus, concentration and non-stop physical commitment to the role for the full 90 minutes of the play. Audiences watching her performance have no idea how hard it is (nor should they). But all agree it is vivid, powerful, funny, deeply moving and utterly unforgettable.
How does she do it?
Before auditioning, what was your impression when you first learned about the play? The role of Iris? Any preconceptions?
My initial response was pretty visceral. The general themes appealed to me immediately; love, courage, fear, humanity. I think I’ve said to several people some variation of, “This is one of those roles that will make me better at what I do.” Not to mention, having worked with The Fountain before, I trusted they would do the story justice.
How did you prepare for the audition?
I knew this was a role that would take quite a bit of research to do it justice. Given the nature of auditions, it was impossible to bring in all of that in just a couple days. So, I focused on those initial emotional reactions to the piece. I did some research online and found a few mannerisms that I felt would heighten my believability. Mostly, I allowed myself the freedom to express my own quirks, imagination, and fears. I think those discoveries remain the root of this character.
How did you feel when you learned you got the role?
Thrilled and terrified. It was kind of a moment of, “Oh, okay, I guess this is really happening.” That’s a funny dichotomy; feeling confidence and doubt simultaneously.
Iris is such a unique, challenging and demanding role — both physically and mentally. How did you prepare for it?
I really held on to those initial feelings. I believe if something makes you feel so strongly, so quickly, ultimately that will be the key to the character. Before this, I didn’t have any personal experiences with Autism. But there’s a very rare disease in my family called DRPLA that certainly impacted my choices. It is very different, but there are physical manifestations that I was able to draw from. It also informed my understanding of the difference between one’s physical existence and mental acuteness. Our director, Jacqueline Schultz, was able to arrange time for us to observe at The Help Group, one of the premiere schools for students with special needs. Perhaps my most valuable experience was attending their high school Valentine’s Day dance. Dan Shaked and I both remarked on feeling this sense of freedom and non-judgment in the room. Not to belittle the challenges they face, but I have certainly come to appreciate the perspective of those “on the spectrum”. Beyond that, I spent a lot of time looking at videos (of which I was surprised to find quite a few). Autistic activism is a very present community. It was not difficult to engross myself in that world. I’ve found other inspiration in studying birds, wild horses, and all the fantastical imagery already written into the play.
Much of Iris is recorded in Voice Over. What is that experience like, as an actress? Connecting your physical life with the recorded Voice Over track?
At first, it was a little like rehearsing different characters. We had rehearsals where I worked on the voice then our stage manager, Corey, would do the lines and sometimes even Jacqueline, then we recorded a temporary track so I could really focus on the physical life. We wanted to fully explore the character before committing to one version of the recording. Iris’s idealistic voice is the voice most like me and the one that really shows us her intelligence. So, it was important that it was fully explored. Our sound designer, Peter Bayne, has also done a really great job at maintaining a since of intimacy. We put it all together during tech week. It’s become a bit of a dance between me, Corey, and Iris — never being sure who exactly is leading.
Displaying battle bruises with pride.
The physical demands of the role must take a toll. Are you exhausted after every performance?
When we started putting all the elements together (the physical, mental, and emotional life and then technically; video, VO, audience) I went through an adjustment period. After our first previews I was a sore, sweaty, dehydrated, and an emotional mess. My body wasn’t quite sure what the hell I was doing to it. I’ve since found some sort of balance. Some nights I still leave feeling a little beaten up, but it’s something to be proud of. This is my marathon or battle.
Do you have any favorite moments in the play? As an actress?
It’s been important for me that Iris not be portrayed as a victim. She certainly has many moments of vulnerability, but my favorite moments are when she’s able to assert herself. She has moments of true heroism in this play and those are my favorite to play.
What kind of response are you getting from anyone in the Autism community after seeing you on stage?
The most validating responses have been from those who have personal experiences with Autism. I’ve had several people tell me I’m doing it justice; that it’s believable and that’s really what it all comes down to. People are very touched by the story and the characters. So, I’m just thrilled that it resonates.
What was/is your greatest fear in doing the role?
When playing a character with any kind of ‘disability’ you want it to be believable. The Autism spectrum is so broad that it gave me the freedom to really create something unique for Iris, but also made it difficult to find specific examples of someone like her. I’ve just had to trust my director and all other aspects of the collaboration. I know that it can be uncomfortable for some audience members, but I try to keep it honest. My mother sent me a beautiful letter, “Don’t be afraid of making anyone uncomfortable. Maybe through Iris you’re teaching them to accept someone different in a way they hadn’t thought of before.” It feels like a big responsibility, but that’s the beautiful thing that art can do for humanity.
What part of Iris do you most identify or empathize with? Is there any part of her character that you personally connect most deeply to?
Her imagination. I was a very shy introverted child. I would fanaticize and draw a lot. Along the way, I began to intuit that a more public form of expression was my journey. It wasn’t easy for me at first, still sometimes isn’t really, but it’s my hero’s quest. Iris’s journey into the real world is not all that different from mine. We just have different limitations. It’s kind of my thing to recognize that which scares me the most and run right through it. All of my best qualities are formed out of those moments.
Virginia Newcomb & Dan Shaked
You and Dan Shaked have a nice chemistry on stage together. With Mac and Iris both having communication issues — how did you and Dan find ways to connect as actors?
Dan is really fantastic. There was no trust barrier to get over; it was just so immediately comfortable. We are each other’s spring board for any frustrations we might be having about the characters. Both of our characters have some juxtaposing characteristics and that can be confusing. It helps to have someone trying to break the code along with you. Having so little eye contact with someone you’re supposed to fall in love with can be difficult, but there are so many other ways to connect that it actually heightens the experience. We have to really pay attention and feel the other’s presence by smell, sound, touch, etc. It’s really fun. He and I both love the little differences that happen night to night, too. Sometime the VO speaker goes out, sometimes his headphones break, sometimes M&M’s are going everywhere, but it’s comforting knowing your partner and you can handle it.
What was the process with Jacqueline Schultz as a director?
Jacqueline came to the table with such passion and knowledge. A true artist, she knew how to lay the ground for us to freely create. She really let me run with Iris. I never heard her say pull back. If anything she’d say, “Great, okay now more of that.” She helped push me through any fears I had. I’m very grateful to her for helping me find Iris.
Virginia’s dressing table back stage.
This is your second Fountain production. Do you enjoy working at the Fountain? How does it compare to other theaters in LA?
The Fountain is so good at what they do. It’s a big part of why I chose to do this play. I was already familiar with how the team at The Fountain could elevate a production. I was confident they’d bring Ken LaZebnik’s beautiful story to life. They are no question one of the best intimate theatres in LA. It’s a family and you really feel a part of it when you’re working here.
Do you think the character of Iris will “stay with you” for a while, after the run ends?
Well, she’s certainly welcome to. I’ve adored playing Iris. She is my courage and fear personified.
What are your plans after SPECTRUM closes?
Take a break, if the universe lets me. I’ve been going non-stop for a while. I shot three films last year and then the play. I have plans to head back South for a bit. I haven’t seen my family in over a year. It’ll be nice. Then? We’ll see.
On The Spectrum Now to April 28 (323) 663-1525MORE
This production is sponsored, in part, by The Help Group.
Cormac is a young man who lives with his mother, Elisabeth, in a tiny apartment in New York City’s West Village. He is preparing to enter law school and Elisabeth’s employer has cut back her hours, so money is tight. Iris, a young blogger from Queens, hires Cormac to design her website. What ensues is a boy meets girl love story unlike any other.
Dan Shaked and Virginia Newcomb
Writer Ken LaZebnik’s highly acclaimed drama, “On the Spectrum,” provides a glimpse into the minds and hearts of two people faced with autism spectrum disorders. The production, directed by Jacqueline Schultz and currently on stage at the Fountain Theatre, captures the strengths and quirks of the main characters as they navigate through life. More importantly, the play serves as a testament to the need for increased awareness about autism.
The play “does a great a job of breaking down the myths about autism” says Schultz. “They can feel. They can fall in love. They can get actively involved in their own community.”
Dan Shaked & Jeanie Hackett in “On the Spectrum”
Rave reviews are rolling in for our West Coast Premiere of On the Spectrum by Ken LaZebnik, directed by Jacqueline Schultz. The Hollywood Reporter hails it as “Incandescent!” and Broadway World calls it “life-affirming” and “engrossing theatre that should be experienced by everyone.” The Examiner exclaims “If you have the opportunity to get to one play this spring, On the Spectrum is the one to see!”
Advance LA is proud to welcome LaZebnik to Day One of the Innovate Conference on Friday, April 26th, from 12:50 to 1:50pm, where he will be giving a presentation about his celebrated production. In addition, the play’s three actors — Dan Shaked as Mac, Virginia Newcomb as Iris, and Jeanie Hackett as Elisabeth — are scheduled to perform a scene from the play for Friday’s conference attendees.
Advance LA is an innovative program created and operated by The Help Group to support teens and young adults with autism, Asperger’s and other learning issues in their transition to independence.
This year’s Advance LA conference, INNOVATE, will bring together experts and innovators from diverse fields to join in exploring the newest thinking on how best to support young people preparing for a successful transition to college, the workforce, and beyond. The conference will focus on the need to devise innovative, practical, and sustainable solutions to answer questions that arise during the transitioning period, a crucial time for young people who face challenges that differ from those confronting many of their peers.
Meet the playwright and cast of On the Spectrum at the Advance LA conference on Friday, April 26th, from 12:50 to 1:50, at the American Jewish University, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90077.
“As with all great love stories, there are obstacles,” says Jacqueline Schultz, director of the West Coast premiere of Ken LaZebnik‘s play “On the Spectrum,” now playing to terrific reviews at the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles. Quirky and unexpected, “On the Spectrum’ is a love story with a difference; in LaZebnik’s award-winning play, an online e-chat blossoms into a courtship between two young people with autism. “Ken’s play is original, charming and moving.”
Jacqueline Schultz
Schultz is an award-winning actress and a theater director at The Help Group’s Summit View School for students with learning differences. The Help Group is the largest and most innovative nonprofit of its kind in the U.S. serving children with autism, learning differences and other special needs. She was immediately drawn to the project. “Theater is about all of those things that help children learn,” says Schultz. “The art form has a special way of helping autistic children learn because it helps kids discover how to act together with others.”
In LaZebnik’s play, Mac has Asperger’s, and Iris is autistic. Many people on the autism spectrum take pride in their distinctive abilities and “atypical” ways of viewing the world. Mac (Dan Shaked), whose mother Elizabeth (Jeanie Hackett) provided years of mainstreaming and therapy, passes as “typical.” He connects online with Iris (Virginia Newcomb), an activist who proudly champions her autism as a difference, not a disorder. A relationship quickly forms between the two.
“The play demonstrates how technology has allowed the characters to communicate what’s inside, rather than be judged on the outside,” says Schultz.
Dan Shaked and Jeanie Hackett
“Part of the love story is a mother’s love for her son,” says LaZebnik. “His mother has been his guardian and shield, his whole life. The potential of him going off with this girl obviously is hard for her, and it’s hard for him to contemplate leaving her.”
“Iris has an opinion. Elizabeth has an opinion. Mac bridges both of those worlds,” says Schultz. “Ken does a great a job of breaking down the myths about autism and autistic people. They can feel. They can fall in love. They can get actively involved in their own community.”
“I would love it,” LaZebnik says, “if people saw these characters as just two unique human beings who fall in love.”
Ken LaZebnik
Winner of a 2012 Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award citation and a 2011 Edgerton Foundation New American Play award, “On the Spectrum” was commissioned by Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis, where artistic director Jack Reuler directed the premiere as part of the Center of the Margins Festival. Ken LaZebnik has written two other plays about autism: Vestibular Sense, which also premiered at Mixed Blood, was honored with an award from the American Theatre Critic’s Association at the Humana Festival in Louisville; and Theory of Mind, commissioned for young audiences by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, has also been produced in Minnesota, Hawaii and Michigan, and was published by Dramatic Publishing.
Schultz has worked as a theater director/educator with learning disabled students for over 12 years. As a professional actress, she was recently seen at the Fountain in the U.S. premiere of Athol Fugard’s “The Blue Iris.”
Ken LaZebnik’s “On the Spectrum” is earning wonderful reviews and is currently running at the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles through April 28.
Last night was the gala Opening Night for our West Coast Premiere of On the Spectrum by Ken LaZebnik, directed by Jacqueline Schultz. The sold out packed house was filled with press, friends, subscribers, and enthusiastic audience members. Response to the play and production was very strong and positive, with lots of excited buzz and chatter after the performance.
Among those enjoying the Opening Night performance and after-party were Barbara Firestone, President and CEO of The Help Group, Rita Berens, playwright Ken LaZebnik and his wife Kate Fuglei, director Jacqueline Schultz, Los Angeles set designer Tom Buderwitz, as well as members of the On the Spectrum design and production team.
On the Spectrum is a funny, touching and powerful love story between two young people with autism, starring Jeanie Hackett, Virginia Newcomb and Dan Shaked. The production is sponsored, in part, by The Help Group.
The performance was followed by a catered reception in the Fountain’s upstairs cafe. Enjoy some photos!
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On the Spectrum Now Playing to April 28 (323) 663-1525MORE
On the Spectrum is LaZebnik’s third dramatic work dealing with issues surrounding autism, and his passion for the subject derives from his personal connection to the disorder.
Ken LaZebnik
Having two nephews and a niece diagnosed with autism has opened his eyes to autism in a way that provides a firsthand perspective on those who fall “on the spectrum,” he says.
Jacqueline Schultz calls it a perfect fit for her. She’s directing a production of LaZebnik’s play for the Fountain Theatre, opening Saturday. The award-winning actress and director has also worked for more than 12 years as a theater director and educator with special needs students.
“Theater is about all of those things that help children learn,” says Schultz. The art form has a special way of helping autistic children learn because it “helps kids discover how to act together with others,” she says.
The overriding theme of the play can be found in the term from which LaZebnik selected his title. People who exhibit a range of behaviors associated with autism and Asperger’s syndrome are said to be “on the spectrum.” Schultz says it is a vague term that cannot be truly defined.
“This whole phrase of ‘on the spectrum’ is so broad, and includes so many things. I mean we’re all ‘on the spectrum’ in some way. Every artist I know is somewhere ‘on the spectrum’,” says Schultz with a laugh.
LaZebnik agrees that the term is all too encompassing, and says his play is meant to bring attention to a growing movement in the autistic community that seeks to find greater acceptance of those who exhibit behaviors that fall somewhere on the spectrum. The movement includes a fundamental change in terminology in referring to autism as a “difference,” rather than a disability.
“It is about the very inherent conflict of do you try to engage fully in the neuro-typical world, or say to the world — ‘I’m different. Deal with me on my terms’,” LaZebnik says.
Jacqueline Schultz
“It’s about this other way of looking at it — a different way of thinking,” says Schultz.
Modern technology has helped paved the way for the growing movement for change. The increasing number of websites, blogs, and chat rooms created for and by people with autism “have joined people from all over the world in a community of like others who can relate to each other,” says LaZebnik. “The technological revolution has liberated people.”
Email communication and the invention of communicative devices, such as the Proloquo, have helped autistic people overcome many aspects of autism that interfere with their ability to engage in social interaction. It also eliminates many of the “gray areas” of human communication, such as sarcastic tones, facial expressions, and physical gestures, that are often difficult to interpret by people with autistic symptoms, according to LaZebnik.
The play attempts to capture this facet of communication between its autistic characters through the use of multimedia aspects of the production, including audio voice-overs and video screens.
“The play demonstrates how technology has allowed the characters to communicate what’s inside, rather than be judged on the outside,” says Schultz.
At the crux of the matter is a basic civil rights issue, say supporters of the movement. But LaZebnik says his play is designed “not to advocate, but just to demonstrate.”
Schultz says the play adequately “addresses the movement in a public manner.”
“The way in which people with autism and Asperger’s are portrayed in this script is very different” from most previous treatments of the subject, she says.
A Love Story
At the heart of the play is a love story between its two central characters. Iris (Virginia Newcomb) suffers from severe communicative difficulties due to her autism, but she finds a voice through technology and becomes an online activist in the movement for acceptance. Mac (Dan Shaked), whose mother Elizabeth (Jeanie Hackett) has provided him with years of mainstreaming and therapy, passes as “typical” in the world. When Mac and Iris meet online, a relationship develops that challenges Elizabeth’s hopes for her son, while raising questions about the definition of “normal.”
Dan Shaked and Virginia Newcomb
“Iris has an opinion. Elizabeth has an opinion. Mac bridges both of those worlds,” says Schultz.
LaZebnik says that watching the struggles of his eldest nephew to have a relationship was an impetus for the love story component of the play. “I started thinking, ‘what is his world like?’ So I took this conflict of outlooks and layered it into a love story,” he says.
Schultz says the play “does a great a job of breaking down the myths about autism and autistic people. They can feel. They can fall in love. They can get actively involved in their own community,” she says.
“Part of the love story is a mother’s love for her son,” says LaZebnik. Elizabeth struggles with letting go of her expectations for Mac in favor of allowing him to become his own person. Mac struggles with letting go of those expectations as well.
“His mother has been his guardian and shield, his whole life. The potential of him going off with this girl obviously is hard for her, and it’s hard for him to contemplate leaving her,” says LaZebnik.
Finding a resolution in the ending was his most difficult challenge in writing the play, he says. “We went through some different options, but oddly enough we went back to the original ending.”
Choosing the Right Cast
The writer and director both agree that casting the play is a difficult part of the process of bringing it to the stage. Finding the right actors to portray autistic characters is a challenging facet of the piece. The premiere production in Minneapolis brought in an autistic woman to play the role of Iris, a concept that Schultz entertained during casting for her production.
Jeanie Hackett and Dan Shaked
“I tried an agency that specializes in special needs actors, but it just didn’t fit,” she says.
Casting the role of Mac was the biggest struggle in the process. “It was a very extended search to find this person who is the right Mac,” says LaZebnik.
Working from a stack of resumes, Schultz called the best people in for the first round of auditions. “But it just didn’t walk in the room,” she says.
Looking for a distinct physicality, paired with the talent she sought to match her vision for the role, sent her back to the drawing board to consider additional options.
“I didn’t want to settle, so we went back [to the resumes] until we found Dan,” she says.
Early preparation included watching a lot of videos and reading multiple books about autism.
“As an actor, you try to look at what the symptoms are of the diagnosis, but there’s no blood test. It’s diagnosis by behavior, so you have this wide variety and combinations of behaviors. ‘On the spectrum’ is what they say when they don’t know what else to say,” says Schultz.
Schultz took her cast members to the school where she teaches to observe the behavior of her students, and together they also attended a high school dance to watch special needs students socially interact with one another.
“If you’re going to do a play, you have to have a concept of how you see it, but I go into rehearsal as a collaborator. It’s a collaborative art,” she says.
A shortened rehearsal schedule has also been a challenge to overcome, especially in dealing with the play’s many technical aspects, Schultz says.
“This is a tech-heavy show. It’s always a challenge getting what you’ve done in the rehearsal room to connect with the tech in actuality,” says Schultz.
Dan Shaked
The collaborative work includes video design by Jeffrey Elias Teeter and sound design byPeter Bayne as part of the effort to illustrate the central question — disability or difference?
“I don’t know that the play answers the question as much as it asks the question,” says Schultz.
“I tried presenting both sides in as intelligent a way as possible,” says LaZebnik.
Nonetheless, LaZebnik says the ultimate message of the play comes through Mac’s character in the end. “I certainly, at the end of the play, have Mac embrace who he is. Authenticity of self is what trumps everything — self-awareness,” he says.
Schultz says she hopes audiences have a similar reaction to the play that she has had.
“It’s humbled me in the sense that these parts are so difficult to play, and it has introduced me to a new way of viewing this community, and I thank it for that, because I think it’s a good thing,” says Schultz.
“I would love it,” LaZebnik says, “if people saw these characters as just two unique human beings who fall in love.”
West Coast Premiere of Fountain Theatre’s ‘On the Spectrum’ Catches the Eye of Poet with Autism
by Scott Lentine
I am a 25 year old man with high-functioning autism (PDD-NOS/Asperger’s) from Billerica, MA, a Boston suburb. I graduated from Merrimack College magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Studies with a Biology minor. I am currently an office intern at the Arc of Massachusetts in Waltham, where I try to persuade lawmakers to pass key disability resources legislation to improve the lives of people with developmental disabilities. I am interested in data clerical entry duties, hospital settings, autism non-profit organizations, and research type work. I have some autism song/poems that I wanted to share with people on the autism spectrum and to musicians who support autism causes.
Just a Normal Day
Never knowing what to say
Never knowing what to do
Always looking for clues
Just a normal day
Feeling unsure
Totally perplexed with everyday life
Always on edge never certain
I wish I could lift this curtain
Needing to constantly satisfy my need for information
Always online searching for new revelations
Going from site to site
Obtaining new insights every night
Trying to connect with people my age
Attempting to reveal my unique vision
But ending up alone and unengaged
Feeling like my needs a total revision
Just a normal day.
Virginia Newcomb & Dan Shaked in “On the Spectrum” at the Fountain Theatre.
Can’t You See
Can’t you see
I just want to have a friend
Can’t you see
I need the same connections in the end
Can’t you see
I want a good job
Can’t you see
I need to have stability and dependence and part of the general mob
Can’t you see
I want to be independent on my own
Can’t you see
I want to be able to have my own home
Can’t you see
I want the same things as everyone else
Can’t you see
I want to be appreciated for myself.
Dan Shaked in “On the Spectrum”
The Ode to the Autistic Man
Try to understand the challenges that I face
I would like to be accepted as a human in all places
Where I will end up in life I don’t know
But I hope to be successful wherever I go
I would like to expand my social skills in life
Making new friends would be very nice
Stand proud for the autistic man
For he will find a new fan
I hope to overcome the odds I face today
Increased acceptance will lead me to a brighter day
By the age of 20, I will have made tremendous strides
I know in the future, life will continue to be an interesting ride
I have made new friends by the year
I will be given tremendous respect by my family and peers
I hope to get noted for bringing the issue of autism to the common man
So that autistic people can be accepted in this great land
Stand proud for the autistic man
For he will find a new fan
I hope to overcome the odds I face today
Increased acceptance will lead me to a brighter day.
Marshfield Memories poem
Today is a beautiful day on the beach
There are plenty of people and dogs to see
The water is warm and the sky is bright
And seeing some people flying a kite
I am having a fun time with cousins and friends
Hoping that this day will never end
The ocean and sands are comfortable and feel so right
Taking a walk towards Brant Rock in the strong sunlight
Now it is the evening of the third of July
Watching the amazing fireworks from the seawall go by
Talking with family about the latest moments of the day
And meeting some new friends along the way
It was a great time on the beach today
Reading a book and going into the ocean on a bright clear day
These are moments that I will remember for a long time
Being on the beach on a nice warm day is truly sublime.
On the Spectrum at the Fountain Theatre. The West Coast Premiere of a funny and touching love story with a difference. Mac has Asperger’s. Iris has autism. An online chat blossoms into an unforgettable friendship. Not your (neuro)typical love story. March 16 – April 28 (323) 663-1525 MORE
This production is sponsored, in part, by The Help Group.
