It's a Spectrum Disorder! It's a Diversity Issue! It's a Musical!

Tuesday I'm going with a friend to see Autism: The Musical. It's sponsored by Autism Speaks, not my favorite organization, but I have it on good authority (Jordan, as a matter of fact) that it's terrific and well worth seeing. So I'll let you know what I think. Here are the details:

Autism Speaks is delighted to share with its supporters the opportunity to experience an exceptional film that seeks to shatter the myths and expectations of children with autism. “Autism: The Musical” is an uplifting documentary that follows the lives of five autistic children and their families as they create, prepare, and perform a live musical play. This candid and heartfelt 90-minute film was shot in Los Angeles and is based on Elaine Hall’s Miracle Project, a Southern California program for children with autism. In addition to winning the Audience Award at the Newport International Film Festival, this critically acclaimed documentary was an official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival. The film is being released for limited showings in select cities throughout the nation, and San Francisco was one of the locations chosen.

Here's the info about its San Francisco showing:

Roxie New College Film Center
October 23 - 25
3117 16th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
415)-863-1087
www.roxie.com/

Please check with the theater directly for ticket prices. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Autism Speaks. For more information, please visit www.autismthemusical.com.

Comments

[drama mama]

I have been WAITING to see this! Kyra of THIS MOM raved about this. Arghhh-- I'm in deep rehearsal. What to do?

This is a must-see, folks!

[Rachel Norton]

I have my own issues with Autism Speaks - mainly related to that video, Autism Every Day. But I've also spent a fair amount of time with various Autism Speaks employees or high-level volunteers and it is a much bigger tent than has been portrayed. The autism advocacy movement has a long, sad tradition of destroying itself from the inside, and I really hope that all the vitriol against Autism Speaks, from both the chelation people and the autism acceptance people isn't just another example of that. I guess what I think we need is to agree on some broad priorities: awareness, better support for families from schools, government and the medical establishment, and overall acceptance that our kids are here, they're quirky (some very much so, others less so), and so we need to figure out how to educate them, employ them and include them in society once they are grown. In my experience, that is what Autism Speaks is mostly about.