I AM BENJAMIN MCGANN. TODAY MY FRIENDS AND I ARE TAKING OVER THE BLOG TO TALK ABOUT THE PLAY (Dispatches from the Roller Coaster) Â WE WROTE WITH STUDENTS FROM STONE BRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL.
Matthew: THE PLAY FOCUSES ON A GROUP OF NON-SPEAKING AUTISTICS THROUGH THEIR DIAGNOSIS AND LIFE IN GENERAL.
Huan: YOU WILL FINALLY UNDERSTAND THE BODY BRAIN DISCONNECT AS WE EXPERIENCE IT.
Ryan: YOU MIGHT WITNESS THE MIRACLE THAT SPELLING BRINGS TO THEIR FUTURES.
What did you think of Dispatches from the Roller Coaster?
Ryan: THE PLAY WAS INCREDIBLE. THE STUDENTS TOLD OUR STORIES IN A WAY THAT WAS CAPTIVATING AND EDUCATING. IT WAS THE BEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE.
Lisa: THE ONE ACT WAS SO PERFECTLY PUT TOGETHER. THOSE KIDS PORTRAYED AUTISM IN A RESPECTFUL, TASTEFUL MANNER. THEY LOOKED LIKE THEY FELT WHAT WE FELT.
Huan: CAN YOU SAY BLOWN AWAY? I WAS STRUCK BY THE POWERFUL EMOTIONS THAT WERE PRACTICALLY OOZING OUT OF THE RUNNING DOGS. GLEN HOCHKEPPEL (the Director of the play and drama teacher at Stone Bridge High School), YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL MIND. THANK YOU FOR HEARING OUR STORIES.
Matthew: THE PLAY WAS AMAZING. THE SBHS KIDS PLAYED US WELL. I WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN.
Ben: I AM VERY IMPRESSED BY THIS PLAY. WHAT A DREAM TO SEE OUR STORY ON STAGE. I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO HAVE WRITTEN THEY PLAY TOGETHER. TO SEE IT GO TO PRODUCTION WAS BEYOND BELIEF. SO CRAZY HOW OUR LIVES HAVE CHANGED. TO LIVE LIKE THIS NOW IS BEYOND BELIEF!
Tom: SIMPLE YET COMPLEX, LIKE US. I DON’T THINK IT COULD’VE BEEN ANY BETTER. WE’RE ALL BADASS, AND YOU SAW THAT AND YOU HELPED US PORTRAY THAT, SO NOW YOU ARE TOO. AMAZING JOB H AND COMPANY.
Describe how you worked with the SBHS students to create this play:
Huan: THE SBHS STUDENTS CAME OUT TO WORK WITH US IN THE SUMMER. IT IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER WORKED WITH TYPICAL STUDENTS AS AN EQUAL. THAT ALONE MADE THIS EXPERIENCE SO INCREDIBLE. I FEEL LIKE OUR TIME TOGETHER LED TO A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER AS WELL AS NEW FRIENDSHIPS.
Ryan: HUAN NAILED IT. THE STUDENTS DID NOT COME OUT AND TELL US WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO. THEY ASKED US WHAT WE WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH IN THIS PLAY. THAT WAS SOMETHING I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED. WHAT GREAT INSIGHT COMES FROM COLLABORATION LIKE THIS. WHY ISN’T THIS STANDARD PRACTICE?
Ben: AS MY FRIENDS PUT THIS, THE COLLABORATION WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THIS EXPERIENCE. TO HAVE OUR WORDS, OUR POETRY, AND OUR MESSAGE PRESENTED THROUGH COLLABORATIVE WRITING WAS LIFE CHANGING FOR ME AND, I HOPE, FOR THE SBHS STUDENTS TOO. SO PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS PLAY.
Emma: DITTO WHAT MY FRIENDS SAID. I THOUGHT THE EXPERIENCE OF PUTTING THIS PLAY TOGETHER WAS THE BEST LEARNING EXPERIENCE I’VE EVER HAD. THE STUDENTS VALUED US.
Elizabeth: The actors brought the students’ poems to life! Â Here is one of Emma’s poems entitled, Tell Me About It.Â
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYLJ3sts4wk
Tom: THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE WAS EPIC. NOT ONLY DID WE COLLABORATE WITH THE SBHS STUDENTS, WE INCLUDED OUR PARENTS VOICES AND MEGHANN AND ELIZABETH TOO. TRUE COMMUNITY EFFORT.
What are your thoughts on seeing yourself and your parents portrayed on stage?
Ben: IT WAS INSANE! I HAVE TO BE HONEST, I LOVED GETTING TO KNOW THOSE STUDENTS, BUT I WAS NERVOUS TO SEE HOW MY BODY WAS GOING TO COME ACROSS TO THOSE WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND AUTISM. HOWEVER, IT WAS PURE, IT WAS RESPECTFUL AND IT WAS SO ME! MY MIND ACTRESS IS POWERFUL LIKE ME, WE SHOULD BE FRIENDS. ABBY, MY BODY ACTRESS, WAS SO EXCELLENT!
Elizabeth: This Poem for Poe was collectively written by our GKTC students during poetry week. Inspired by Edgar Alan Poe, each student took a turn adding a line to the poem.
Huan: TO PIGGYBACK OFF BEN, THAT WAS HUGE SOURCE OF WORRY. NO ONE WANTS TO LOOK BAD, BUT THAT’S THE LAST THING THAT HAPPENED. I WANT A PERSONALITY LIKE MY MIND-ACTOR, CALEB PORTRAYED ME HAVING. I ACTUALLY THINK I DO, BUT IT’S HARD FOR ME TO SHOW, BUT I FEEL PRETTY SILLY SOMETIMES. MY BODY ACTRESS GOT ALL MY LITTLE THINGS DOWN PAT, EVEN MY SCRUNCHY SMILE! I’M AMAZED BY ALL THE RESPECT FOR OUR FAMILIES, I FEEL TRULY APPRECIATED FOR THE FIRST TIME.
Lisa: IT MADE ME SO HAPPY TO SEE THE SBHS KIDS PLAY MY FRIENDS. THEY MADE SOUNDS SO WELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS MY FRIENDS! THE PORTRAYAL OF PARENTS WAS MOVING AS WELL.
Ryan: THE GIRLS DID A GREAT JOB PORTRAYING ME. I’M PRETTY EASY GOING AS THEY SHOWED. I LOVED THE BLUNT HONESTY OF THE PARENTS, THAT’S OUR LIFE IN A NUTSHELL.
Matthew: THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE NEUROTYPICALS PLAY AUTISTICS WAS ONE I DIDN’T WANT TO MISS. IT WAS FUN TO FIGURE OUT WHO WAS WHO, WHICH WASN’T HARD. THEY ALL DID SUCH A GOOD JOB, ESPECIALLY THE EMMA-BODY CHARACTER.
Elizabeth: What a phenomenal experience this was for all involved! Â THIS is what inclusive education can produce! Â **Local families, there will be an opportunity to see this play one more time as it goes to a drama competition on February 6, 2016. Â Watch the Growing Kids Facebook page for details about time and location!!!**
~Ben, Emma, Huan, Ryan, Paul, Tom, Matthew, Lisa
