Burnsville High School Adapts 'Beauty and the Beast' for ... - Webs

BURNSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE GUILD
600 East Highway 13 • Burnsville, MN 55337
(952) 707-2150 • publicity@theatrebhs.com •www.MrazCenter.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2013
FOR QUESTIONS CONTACT
Christine Zrust, Publicity Coordinator
(612) 424-0689 • christine.zrust@theatrebhs.com
Burnsville High School Adapts ‘Beauty and the Beast’
for Children with Autism
(Burnsville, MN) - Celebrating the return of Disney’s popular musical Beauty and the Beast to the Mraz Center
stage in April, the Burnsville High School Theatre Guild is proud to announce an exciting new event - sensory friendly
theatre for children with Autism and other related disabilities.
“Exposure to the arts is an important way to help enrich the lives of all youth in our community - including
those who need special care and attention.” says Artistic Director Randy Day. “This performance will be specifically
designed and adapted for children with Autism, allowing them to enjoy a live theatre performance in a a supportive,
engaging and judgment-free place.”
In addition to offering discounted ticket prices, the performances will be adapted in several ways to address
the sensory needs of children wth Autism and other related spectrum disorders.
• House lights will remain on inside the auditorium during the run of the show.
• Sound volume will be lowered and abrupt jarring sounds eliminated.
• Children will be free to talk and vocalize as they wish.
• Children will be free to get up and leave teir seat as needed, under parental supervision.
• A private lounge area will be available where children and families can relax or enjoy separate quiet
activities, snacks and sensory toys.
• Professional autims and special education specialists will be available throughout the performance to
provide assistance as needed.
• A social story picture book will be sent to all families before the show to help acquaint children with the
Mraz Center and the experience of a live performance.
• A special meet and greet will be held prior to the performance for children who wish to have their
photograph taken with major characters. For parents, this is also a good time for children to find their seat
and acquaint them with the theatre before the show actually starts.
“Performances like this also bring an element of education ot the members of our cast.” states Day. “They
will need to understand the behaviors and needs of the audience to best present their songs and characters. Larger
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BURNSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE GUILD
expressions and actions from the stage are often helpful for children with Autism - as they may have difficulty reading
emotion. Technicians and musicians also need to understand things that may startle or disrupt children so they can
adapt while also remaining true to the show.”
To help in understanding the scope of adaptation and design required to accommodate children with Autism,
Burnsville High School has partnered with the Autism Society of MInnesota, the Fraser School for Autism and
Unitied for Autism. These Twin CIties nonprofit programs are centered in education, health and social programming
dedicated serve and support children with Autism and the broader needs of their families.
“As sensory friendly theare is explored on Broadway and other theaters around the country, the results are
clear - overwhelming demand and delight by parents who see positive reaction in their children. We hope this too will
become an annual event for Burnsville High School Theatre.” states Day.
“Over the past few years, Burnsville High school has greatly expanded our community outreach endeavors
- offering free preview shows for area special needs groups, touring performances in Minneapolis and Saint Paul
Children’s Hospitals and performing during the day for ISD 191 elementary schools.” explains Christine Zrust,
community outreach coordinator. “With the success of our Hope Kids nights (serving seriously or terminally ill
children), the hospital tours and now this, we are seeing positive results for both our audiences and the high school
students who delight in seeing the value of their performance on the human experience. For many special guests,
health and hospitals take a back seat and they get to be simply kids again - eve if for only 2 hours.”
“Our students walk away with a sense of value that their program is more than just an after school activity. It
lifts the spirit of children and offers respite to those facing challenging health or life experiences.”
The sensory friendly theatre performance of Beauty and the Beast takes place April 20 at 1:30 pm in
the Mraz Center. Tickets are $5 and can be reserved at www.BeyondtheSpotlight.org - a new website dedicated to
highlight this and other community outreach events by Burnsville High School Theatre.
Regular performances of Beauty and the Beast take place April 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 at 7:30 pm and April 21, 28
at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $10 adults, $9 seniors and $8 students and can be reserved at www.MrazCenterTickets.com.
Tickets may also be purchased at the door up to one hour prior to each performance.
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BURNSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE GUILD
ABOUT US
Burnsville High School Theatre Guild is now in its 52nd season and continues to provide high quality
entertainment, featuring an ambitious season that includes 2 musicals, 3 plays and a variety show each year. Its
theatre company is comprised of more than 100 members, including cast, crew and pit orchestra members, and
is supported by a 150-member booster club. The mission of the BHS Theatre Guild is to educate its members,
entertain the community and inspire those around it to seek out adventure, community service and the arts! For
more information, go to www.BeyondTheSpotlight.org.
ABOUT AUTISM
Autism is a complex developmental disability that is present from birth or very early in development. It affects
essential human behaviors such as social interaction, the ability to communicate ideas and feelings, imagination,
self-regulation and the ability to establish relationships with others. According the Center for Disease Control,
Autism is estimated to occur in as many as 1 in 88 individuals with Minnesota recognized as one of the most
prevalent states.
ABOUT BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 animated musical romantic fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The
30th film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and the third film of the Disney Renaissance. It was the first
animated film ever to be nominated for Best Picture Academy Awards and remained the only one until 2010,
when the field was widened to ten nominees. (It lost to critically acclaimed thriller The Silence of the Lambs.) It
was later adapted to a stage musical, becoming Broadway’s eight longest-running show in history with 5,461
performances. Nominated for 9 Tony Awards, and winning 1, Beauty and the Beast is the first of Disney stage
musicals and is now currently on national tour.
PRESS NIGHT
There will be a full dress rehearsal open to the media on Tuesday, April 9th from 6:30-9pm at the Mraz Center.
Actors will be available for interviews between 6:00-6:30 (or made available during rehearsal as stage time
allows.)
PHOTO AVAILABLE
High resolution color photographs from this production will be available for open media use beginning Monday,
May 8th. To download these photos, go to www.MrazCenterPhotos.com. (Including both rehearsal and staged
publicity photographs.)
SENSORY FRIENDLY THEATRE PERFORMANCE
April is Autism Awareness Month. In recognition, BHS Theatre Guild is creating its first sensory-friendly theatre
event for ‘Beauty and the Beast’, specially adapting and designing a performance for children with Autism on
April 20 at 1:30pm. In partnership with the Autism Society of Minnesota and Fraser School for Autism, this event
is only the second theatre event of its kind ever in the state of Minnesota! For more information, visit www.
BeyondtheSpotlight.org.
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