In ACT program, young actors on autism spectrum shine

Mitchell Peterson chose a slip of paper and peeked at the word scrawled across it, careful not to let anyone else see.

He walked to the middle of the circle and began to jump around, pumping his arms into the air.

“Excited!” a girl shouted.

Mitchell nodded enthusiastically. That’s exactly the feeling he was acting out.

The 10-year-old Pasco boy is part of a program at Academy of Children’s Theatre in Richland designed for kids on the autism spectrum.

Spectrum on Stage uses theater arts to help the young charges build skills to navigate their daily lives.

Take the “feeling charades” game, which helps the kids recognize and act out emotions.

Or another game, in which the kids passed “power” around the circle in a chain of clapping. It was heavy on eye contact, which can be a challenge for those on the spectrum.

Mitchell and his classmates seemed to be having a lot of fun.

“It’s been great for him,” said Krissa Peterson, Mitchell’s mom. He participated in the summer camp too.

He initially wanted to stay behind the scenes, but ended up taking the stage as Owl in a musical version of Winnie the Pooh put on by the campers.

Julie Schroeder, ACT’s education director, started the Spectrum program several years ago.

“I would get tons of calls from parents (with children on the spectrum) asking if the kids could take a class,” Schroeder said.

She always agreed, and sometimes it worked out well. Other times, the kids struggled.

So she began researching techniques and programs, eventually attending a Drama for Autism conference and becoming certified.

ACT now offers spring, summer and fall Spectrum sessions. The latest session started last week and runs through mid-December. And there’s a waiting list.

A $5,000 grant from Women Helping Women paid for this year’s program. And ACT recently announced that a $10,000 grant from the Charlotte Martin Foundation would pay for it to continue through next year, including a two-week summer camp and ongoing weekly curriculum-based classes.

Schroeder said Spectrum makes a difference. She’s seen kids open up, make connections. Smile. Laugh. Have fun.

She takes steps to make her young actors comfortable. The rules and goals are laid out in writing, posted on the wall.

She also goes over the day’s activities at the start of class so the participants know what to expect.

Sensory overload can be a problem, so the lights aren’t too bright. And if a student doesn’t feel like joining in at first, he or she can sit back until they’re ready.

“All it takes is a place where they welcomed and they don’t feel pressured and they feel successful. That’s worth more than anything,” Schroeder said.

“Theater is perfect for them to be able to strengthen those (daily life) skills in a fun way,” she added. “Plus, they get to hang with other kids who process in the same way.”

While Mitchell and some others in the class last week were veterans, 8-year-old Jaden Anderson of Pasco was brand new.

He looked a little nervous, but he joined in the clapping game. In “feelings charades.”

His mom, Nalani Anderson, said he’s good at acting, but is shy.

“I thought with a group of his peers he might be able to (give it a shot),” she said, watching as he took part in yet another game. “We’re grateful to have the opportunity.”

For more information about Spectrum on Stage, call 509-943-6027 or email julie@actstaff.org.

This story was originally published November 8, 2015 at 9:50 PM with the headline "In ACT program, young actors on autism spectrum shine."