Another Christmas has come and gone, but there was one story this holiday season that gave us that holiday feel good feeling! The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego created a special rendition of “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!,” geared toward people with autism and their families.
The performance, one of the first of its kind on the west coast, featured modified sound, lighting and other effects in deference to sensory sensitivities. But for many of the families who attended (over 470 people to be exact), the most welcome aspect was just being in a community of people who understood their challenges and wouldn’t bat an eye at behavior that might be deemed disruptive at a typical performance.
“We love theater, and we haven’t ever been able to let him be a part of that with us,” said Cyndi Sapper of her 20-year-old son, Stevenson, after the show. “And this was just amazing. It was so relaxing, really.”
Sapper’s husband, Steve, appreciated that Stevenson was “able to be himself, and enjoy himself, and laugh if he wanted to, and bounce if he wanted to.”
“As a family, there are so many things we can’t do,” said his mom, Patricia Morris Buckley. “We can’t do parades, we can’t do big malls. So to be able to share a holiday tradition like this is, for our whole family, such an amazing experience. It makes me cry to think of all the families that don’t get to do anything with their kids.”
Read the entire article on the wonderful cast and directors that put the show together here. We hope to see more theater supporting performances like this – what a wonderful way to allow families to feel support and comfort during the holidays!