The Penguin Project
MTC’s PENGUIN PROJECT ® (www.penguinproject.org):
Empowering Children with Special Needs Through Theater
The saying goes....”If it plays in Peoria, it will play anywhere!”
Well, it has played in Peoria and it’s entering its 18th year.
But this is not your typical theater production...
After an initial production of The Penguin Project was held in Peoria, Illinois in 2004, The Penguin Project Foundation was created in 2007 to assist other communities in developing their own Penguin Projects. There is a comprehensive special needs. There are currently 53 replication sites or “chapters” in these 22 states around the country: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and now, for the first time this year, New Jersey. MTC’s Chapter is the first one in our Garden State! Here are the specifics:
No charge to participate in 2024
Who: Cast (Actors): Neurodiverse Children between the ages of 10 and 21
Cast (Mentors): Neurotypical Children between the ages of 10 and 21
Staff: Special Education Teachers with Musical Theater experience and MTC Staff
What: A production of Seussical JR. (We performed Annie JR. in our debut Penguin Project production in April 2023.)
When: Information / Planning Meetings: Tue., Oct. 24 (4:30 to 5:30 PM) Or Thu., Oct. 26 (5:30 to 6:30 PM)
Rehearsals: TBD
Tech Week: TBD
Performances: May 2024
Where: First United Methodist Church, 446 E. Camden Avenue, Moorestown, NJ 08057
Why (Goals Of The Penguin Project):
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To provide an opportunity for neurodiverse children to develop creative skills related to the theater arts
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To identify the impact of a community theater experience on the communication skills, socialization, and self-confidence / self-esteem of neurodiverse children
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To provide an opportunity for neurodiverse children to participate in a community theater experience
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To facilitate interaction between neurodiverse children and their neurotypical, age-level peers through joint participation in a community theater experience
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To facilitate an appreciation of the challenges faced by neurodiverse children and their families
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To facilitate interaction among medical, developmental, educational, and theater professionals through participation in a common community project
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To provide a forum for support and interaction for families of neurodiverse children
Bios - submit your bio here for the Program Book (coming soon)
Ads - Purchase an Ad for the Program Book or Become a Partner (coming soon)
For more information, please call MTC at 856 / 778-8357 and speak to Producing Artistic Director Mark Morgan.