Brattleboro Reformer Article on Raising Our Voices by Jon Potter

You don't need a spotlight to see inner light, but there, on the New England Youth Theatre stage, both sources of illumination were in ample supply, as a group of actors prepared last Monday afternoon for the most important show of their lives. After six years of letting their talents shine through the words and music of others, members of the Adult Troupe of the Theatre Adventure Program were working hard to polish "Raising Our Voices," a multimedia show the 14 actors ages 19-49 have written about their lives.
A program of NEYT, TAP is an inclusive theater arts program for people with disabilities, as well as a few of their typically developing peers. "Raising Our Voices" marks a considerable milestone for both the program and the people it serves. Not only is it the first show they've written. It is also the first show they will present more than once and the first one that will be given a gala evening performance.
That gala performance is Saturday, April 3, at 7 p.m., and is a crucial fundraiser for the TAP program. An earlier performance will be held on Thursday, April 1, at 10:30 a.m. Both are held at NEYT, 100 Flat St.
Though it's still a few days away, members of the TAP troupe can't wait to have you come and see it.
"We want to tell other people that we have a voice and to let them see the special gifts we have," said troupe member Katharine Breunig after rehearsal last Monday. "We are so proud of ourselves."
"It feels great amazing. We've been working so hard," added troupe member Kyle Riopel, who wrote the opening song for the show. "I'm hoping people will get inspired by this and use their voices, too."
That is the essence of the show -- and why it's important not just for TAP but for all of us. They're not just telling their story, they're telling our story. And they fit into a theater tradition of shows that offer glimpses into the everyday world of one community to reflect the everyday lives of all of us -- think "Our Town" or "Rent."
In "Raising Our Voices," troupe members introduce themselves to us in a series of songs, stories and vignettes. There are moments of great poignancy and poetry, lighter moments casting the warmest possible glow; there are people standing proudly on their own and people helping each other with unparalleled kindness.
"What's fun about this play we're doing is being with all our friends here at TAP. It's nice to be with them," said Breunig.
As we get to know them through the show, we see our own lives reflected in simple pleasures -- going out for Chinese food, playing basketball, attending church, riding a bike, working out at Curves, listening to Miley Cyrus, chilling out with friends and watching TV. Their larger concerns are ours, too -- finding meaningful work, a good home, friendships and relationships, fitting in, giving back to our community.
"The big vision is ‘Here we are!' Not just a tentative putting your toe in the water, but ‘Here we are! We have something to say. We're proud of who we are," said Laura Lawson Tucker, TAP co-director with Darlene Jenson.
They should be. It's been a year of speaking out with a more confident voice. In February, many of the TAP members journeyed to the Statehouse in Montpelier to join advocates and service providers in lobbying against cuts to services.
"Now's the time for us to speak out Show them where we stand," raps Riopel in the opening song he wrote.
The idea for "Raising Our Voices" began germinating nearly 10 months ago, when Lawson Tucker realized her veteran troupe was ready for the extra load of two performances, including an evening show.
"We also had been entertaining the idea of having them write their own show," she said.
The troupe spent six weeks this fall gathering material and tried some of it out in shows in the community -- including a paying gig -- and at a Sept. 12 symposium on how all people can be better integrated into the community.
What emerged is "Raising Our Voices," a show in three parts. The first part, titled "Here I Am," features the opening song and a group poem where the cast members introduce themselves and shed a little light on who they are.
The second part is a series of vignettes titled "Friends," created by the cast, dealing with the issues they face, the things on their minds, the times they share together and the things they do for fun.
The third part, titled "Community," talks about the jobs they have and the ways they are active and helpful in the community. The show features many songs troupers sing, slides projected in the background, recorded voices, pantomimed scenes, the piano playing of Kachina Lee-Autenrieth, colorful costumes and dancing. The show ends with the ensemble singing Sweet Honey in the Rock's "All I Have to Do." The show will be interpreted in American Sign Language.
"The first goal, I have for each troupe member is that their self-esteem and their self-confidence are boosted. That when the show is over, they're just bursting with pride," Lawson Tucker said. "For the audience, I would hope that they would just feel a sense of celebration for this troupe and these troupe members. We just want to help break down barriers and connect us. The arts do connect us.
"They are making important contributions to the community, and I don't think that's often recognized," she said of her troupers.
The "Raising Our Voices" TAP troupers include: Erin Ansart, Katharine Breunig, Adam Crocker, Evan Cross, Liz Cutts, Nathan Hirth, Julianne Kaplan, Kachina Lee-Autenrieth, Susan Mandell, Brittany Pusey, Kyle Riopel, Zach Teller, Heather Wilson and Teresa Woodlock.
Tickets for the April 3 gala fundraising show are $25 for adults, $10 for students. The show starts at 7 p.m., and there will be hors d'oeuvres, desserts and beverages, as well as entertainment in the lobby starting at 6 p.m. Purchase tickets for the gala at www.neyt.org, 802-246-6398 or at the NEYT box office on Wednesdays from noon to 5 p.m.
Tickets for the April 1 show at 10:30 a.m. are $5.