People with disabilities are often excluded from the world of performing arts. Michael Pizzi, actor and occupational therapist, set out to change that. Since 2007, his nonprofit Touching Humanity has used the performing arts and education to promote disability awareness and social and occupational justice for people with disabilities. This August, Pizzi is partnering with Barrington Stage’s education department to run a special needs performing arts camp for children with disabilities, aged 12 to 18.
Pizzi invites neurodivergent children, children with autism who have low support needs, and any child with a disability to join the camp, which is free, and set to run August 5 through 9 at Berkshire Community College. Children must be able to read and tell a story, move about the stage independently, and be amenable to working with other children in a kind and compassionate performing arts environment.
With room for 10 children, the camp is small and intimate, and spaces are still available. The camp meets from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and children work toward putting on their own show at the end of the week. The public is welcome to attend this final performance, to be held August 9 at 12 p.m., also at Berkshire Community College.
Under the guidance of Pizzi and a group of volunteers, children play some theater games to socialize and get comfortable with each other. They do some improvisational activities to spark their imaginations. They practice the stage movement and songs they will perform at the final show and spend some time crafting props for it. The theme of the camp this year is happiness, and Pizzi imagines them “presenting themselves and talking about what makes them happy and what’s interesting in their lives, to give them a chance to just present who they are, and be accepted for who they are.”
Pizzi has run this Special Performing Arts Camp (SPaRC), designed so every child has the same opportunity as their neurotypical peers, in other locations. While not technically therapy, Pizzi says, “[I]t’s really amazing, the outcomes that these children achieved. These kids just expanded their repertoire of skills. It was incredible.” Theater camp for kids with special needs has shown to improve self-esteem and confidence, reading skills, social skills, coping skills, and the regulation of emotions.
As both an occupational therapist and a professional performer, Pizzi was inspired to create this camp based on his own experiences when auditioning. He never saw people with disabilities auditioning, and because he really believed in social justice, he wondered, “How can we make things more equitable for people?”
“Nothing bothers me more than a person playing a disabled character, and then they come out at the curtain call and they have no disabilities.” Pizzi wonders, “Did you audition people with disabilities for that role?” He understands that productions want to hire the best actor, but asks, “Can the best actor be somebody with a disability already, who can play that role? And wouldn’t that be more intriguing and meaningful to the play?”
Pizzi believes that neurodivergent people have skills that others don’t. “So let’s build upon people’s strengths, and capitalize on their abilities and skills and bring that forth. That’s what I hope we can do with these kids.”
Based on the feedback Pizzi has heard from children who have participated, he says, “It’s basically a life-changing experience for them. Some of the families just couldn’t believe what their child was able to do in such a short period of time.”
One parent who had never allowed her son to go to any camp was so pleased with the results that she couldn’t wait for another. Another said her daughter went home every night to practice, whereas before she was more of a couch potato. She had never seen her daughter so happy. Another parent told Pizzi that her son, right after the program, began coming out of his shell and participating in school more, as well as displaying less aggressive behaviors.
Pizzi is excited to bring the Special Performing Arts Camp to the Berkshires. He says that Barrington Stage Company Director of Education and Community Engagement Jane O’Leary “has been a great partner in all this,” and it is a partnership he hopes to continue in future years.
People can email Michael Pizzi at mpizzi58@gmail.com for an application to join the camp, or if they wish to volunteer now or in the future. And again, the final performance on August 9 is open to everyone.
