It’s amazing what can happen when the organizations in our community come together. On Sunday, September 24 the Memorial Opera House Foundation, with the support of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana and the Penguin Project, held the very first fully inclusive theater production in Indiana.
The Penguin Project is a national organization that seeks to provide opportunities for children with disabilities to take part in inclusive theater productions. In these productions, each character is portrayed by a performer with a disability. Each artist is paired with a peer mentor to help them prepare and perform alongside them during the show in case they need help remembering a line or just need a friend for support.
The Memorial Opera House Foundation is the first organization in Indiana to become a Penguin Project chapter. The choice to become a Penguin Project chapter was an easy one. Its team saw a need in the community for inclusivity and knew they had to fill it.
“When my daughter was first diagnosed with autism when she was three, I had limited options of where I could go and things that we could do. It was very isolating. This is an opportunity for my daughter to hang out and make friends in a safe, inclusive environment. We need more outlets and opportunities like this in our community so people with disabilities and their families can feel included,” said Lindsey Elderkin, director of the Penguin Project performance.
At first, the Memorial Opera House Foundation wasn’t sure where it would hold the event. Its team wanted to ensure that the event would be accessible to all. Jonathan Edward Owens, director of education for Memorial Opera House, had recently been promoted to education coordinator at the Valparaiso Duneland Club. He knew that the Valparaiso Duneland Club was going to be building a new building that would be one story and extremely accessible, so he pitched the idea for the two organizations to partner, and the rest was history.
“Getting something like this together brings out the best in everybody. Everyone wants to contribute. It’s been amazing to see all these people and organizations come together. It puts a permanent smile on my face,” said Owens.
There was no better play to put on than Annie Jr. To prepare for their performance, the actors and their mentors spent six months working tirelessly. They FaceTimed each other for hours to practice lines and went on study dates together. They held several rehearsals where they got to have fun as a big family. The experience has ultimately helped them grow incredible friendships.
“I’ve heard so many of our artists say that this project gave them a lifeline and friendships that they never thought they could have. A lot of them even said they didn’t really have friends and now they have a massive room full of them. It’s a room full of kids and young adults who are all so different, but they’ve come together to be the best team and support each other. It’s truly the friendships that mean the most to me,” said Bobbie Suekvachkoff, community outreach coordinator for the Memorial Opera House Foundation.
The experience has also helped each child grow as an individual. Whether it was learning to overcome stage fright or how to sing for the first time, they have all gained a new sense of confidence in themselves.
“There’s a lot of undiscovered talent here. One of our performers had never sung before, but when he auditioned he had perfect pitch. Another one of our artists is limited in his speech, but how he’s grown from where he was to where he is now is impressive. I’ve seen it with my own eyes and it is very humbling,” said Elderkin.
All the kids’ hard work definitely paid off. The audience could feel their passion and excitement as they sang and danced their hearts out. After the final number, everyone couldn’t help but stand and cheer as loud as they could. The performers stood proudly with bright smiles, some even with tears in their eyes. It was clear that countless memories had been made.
“When my daughter heard all the clapping after yesterday’s performance, she got very emotional. Sometimes we forget about these types of memories and milestones, but these memories will last a lifetime for these kids,” said Elderkin.
The Memorial Opera House Foundation’s first Penguin Project performance ultimately couldn’t have been more touching. It was a huge step in the right direction in ensuring the Region becomes an even more inclusive community. It’s only a matter of time before that commitment to inclusivity spreads throughout the state we call home.
“I hope this event helps spawn more chapters in other communities throughout Indiana. If we can do it, anyone can do it. The Penguin Project is such a beneficial part of our community and the fact that this is the first chapter in Indiana speaks to how many more we need,” said Owens.
The Memorial Opera House Foundation team is grateful to everyone who helped make this heartwarming event possible. Crown Point and Highland High Schools provided platforms to use for the stage, several local theaters loaned props, and even several businesses such as 1st Source Bank gave donations to ensure the day was a success.
“If it was just the Memorial Opera House Foundation making this happen, none of this would’ve been possible--it takes a village. We work hard to make sure this is a space that is safe for every individual whatever their needs are. We have to work together as a community to make sure that we’re able to continue meeting all needs so that we never have to turn someone away,” said Suekvachkoff.
The Memorial Opera House Foundation and all of its partners can’t wait to provide countless more opportunities for the community in the future. The community definitely has a lot to look forward to.
“We have no intention of stopping anytime soon. Now that this is in our lives we can’t picture the community existing without it. We have some ideas for the future in the works right now and we’re sure it’ll make a lot of kids very excited,” said Suekvachkoff.
To learn more about the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana, visit www.bgcgreaternwi.org.