Annie Jr. At the Frauenthal Theater October 14th and 15th With the Muskegon Civic Theater's Penguin Project

We all want to see everyone excel, we all hope to live in a world where barriers are gone and everyone can participate, but some things are pretty complicated and require years of training and devotion, like acting...and some might stop and say, well, that might not be for everyone.  Well, stop right there.  There are a group of young people that are going to prove that wrong quick fast and in a hurry right here in Muskegon!




The idea came about a year or two ago locally.  It sprang from an idea back in 2004 kids with disabilities, be they developmental or physical, are cast in a modified version of a Broadway musical and paired with a peer mentor and they work side by side for 4 months in preparation and rehearsals all the way through the performance.  To quote the Penguin Project's website - "The program provides a supportive environment for children with disabilities to explore their creative talents.  It has also demonstrated that participation in the performing arts has therapeutic value by enhancing social interaction, communication skills, self confidence and self esteem. 

The Cast and Crew of Annie Jr.

Muskegon is the first spot in the state to put on a Penguin Project production, and Annie Jr. is the musical of choice.  Rehearsals have been going on at the home of No More Sidelines, the Folkert Community Hub for the last few months.  I am not stranger to the kids at the Hub or the families there, so I dropped in to watch a rehearsal before we taped the segment you're about to see and I have to level with ya, I was immediately taken back with everything I saw.  On the faces of the parents, ear to ear smiles....radiant pride and genuine appreciation for what they have seen come out of their kids.  On the faces of the mentors, a new appreciation for teamwork, art and their craft...the director, the choreographer, the people watching from across the room... every one of them...amazed and astounded by this group of young people and what this project has brought out of all of them.  I grabbed a little footage of the practice and will overlay it in the video you'll see here in a few.

Here's the thing, this production need the support of the community.  Tickets for the 2 performances are $10 bucks each and there is yet to be one single word anywhere about how awesome these productions are to see.  Not only that, but, you'll get to witness first hand how truly remarkable it is when people come together despite some "differences" to work toward a common goal and find out along the way, that the similarities are greater than what they thought the differences were.

I was joined by Heidi Sunderhaft-Christiansen, Kim Harsch, Seth Witham and Kyle Sweetwood to talk about this entire project, take a listen.

If ever there was a reason to get out and support the arts, this is is.  The play is compacted down to about an hour and the tickets are only $10 bucks.  As mentioned in the interview too, there is still room for some sponsorship for this great event and you can learn more by calling 231-722-3852.  Please show these kids your support for their hard work and bringing our community together a little closer.  If you'd like tickets, order them in advance by clicking on the show poster below.

Tickets for Saturday October 14th

Tickets for Sunday October 15th