Video reported and produced by Trevor Lloyd.
Since 2004, The Penguin Project has been giving children with special needs the opportunity to perform onstage. All the roles that are needed to produce a Penguin Project are appointed to artists with special needs, including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, visual impairment, hearing impairment and other neurological disorders. It was first established in Peoria, Illinois by pediatrician Dr. Andy Morgan who combined two passions of his, helping children with special needs to explore their creative talents and community theater.
The Penguin Project was brought to Tampa by the New Tampa Players which is a thriving community with vast opportunity. New Tampa Players is a local community theater in the Tampa Bay area which was founded in 2002.
The Penguin Project is a national program with many chapters across the United States that allow children with special needs and disabilities to get their turn onstage. No audition is required, no one is turned away and everyone gets a part. The Penguin Project is continuing to prove that through the magic of theater, anything is possible.
“There is no other replication sight in Florida. We were a shoo-in, we just needed a place to perform, a place to rehearse and a willingness to learn,” said Director Nora Paine.
Paine has been researching for ways to include special needs children into theater for years, and to her, The Penguin Project has been a huge success in which everyone has an opportunity to shine.
“They are frequently turned away from dance programs from theater programs. And in the penguin project, there’s no disability that anyone has that we don’t work with. We make it work,” she said.
The primary goal of The Penguin Project is to give a voice to those who are often overlooked by providing an opportunity for children with special needs to develop creative skills and to participate in a community theater experience. In addition, The Penguin Project focuses on facilitating an interaction between children with special needs and their families. Through the work of The Penguin Project, the impact of a community theater experience on communication skills, socialization and self-esteem becomes visible.
“Expect magic. Expect the unexpected. These children can do amazing things that most people would never believe that they could, they really can,” she said.
The impact of The Penguin Project is tremendous on special needs children in which it allows them to freely express themselves and participate in an artistic activity. The New Tampa Players won the Be More Enriched WEDU award this year for their involvement with the Penguin Project. This award is often given to nonprofits that encourage the spirit of adventure and exploration through artistic experiences and education.
“All of our audience walked into it thinking it was going to be an elementary school program with very simple sets and all of that and they walked away very wowed. Because these children really can do just about anything,” she said.
For those interested in The Penguin Project, you can visit their website and check out their Facebook page. If you are looking to get involved with the foundation, you can contact them at info@penguinproject.org. For more information about the New Tampa Players community, you can visit their website and connect with them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
