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01/18/2017 08:00 AMOn Friday, Jan. 20, the students of Walter C. Polson Middle School will present a unique theater experience to the public. Through an original, student-written, -directed, and -designed play, middle school students aim to highlight creativity, but also inclusiveness.
The production Together–We Are Unified is a product of the Unified Theater program, a program that brings together students with and without disabilities in a theater setting. The program was founded in West Hartford by Micaela Connery when she was 15 years old after she began high school and discovered there were fewer and fewer opportunities for her and her cousin with special needs to share. She founded the Unified Theater program with the idea of letting teens lead and highlight creativity and ability among all students. Now, the program reaches nearly 100 schools across the country and more than 9,000 students.
The program took hold in Madison two years ago. Polson special education teacher Dawn Perrotti said she was pleased to combine her love of theater and special education and help bring this program to life.
“This is such a wonderful program for the kids because we don’t do a ‘play,’” she said. “The kids write their own play. They write their own lines, they decide the scenery, they decide everything. My role is just to sit back and guide them.”
During the first year of the program the production focused on telling fairy tales from the perspective of the villain. Last year the production focused on the theme of being your own hero. This year, the first year the production is put on by only Polson students rather than a combination of high school and middle school students, the theme of the production is Together—We Are Unified.
“Our theme is that at a typical middle school we are all different, but we all have the same situation in the sense that we are all trying to fit in,” she said. “It is a little talk show, Good Day Polson, and we have our hosts who guide the show along and the kids are doing a little fashion show, a play, they have some sports commentary—so just things about middle school life and how everybody fits in together.”
Over the years, Perrotti said she has had kids from all walks join in, with levels of ability varying from kids who love theater to kids who never would have thought to give the stage a try. Perrotti said the creative freedom of the program lets students decide what role works best for them.
“There is no lead role, so it is good for the kid who likes the theater, but never gets the lead,” she said. “You make the part you want, so if somebody only wants to be on stage a couple times, that is fine, and if somebody wants to be on stage a lot, they fix their part that way. One child this year signed up who never thought she would and she is really taking on a leadership role, so that has been fabulous.”
Since late September, 17 students have been working on the production. By working together to create the play, Perrotti said the kids get a chance to be creative and collaborative, making for a great experience.
“We want as many people as possible to come and see how wonderful this whole thing is,” she said.
The Unified Theater production is Friday, Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of Walter C. Polson Middle School. Admission is free. To learn more about the National Unified Theater program, visit unifiedtheater.org.