Teens with Down syndrome perform The Wizard of Oz at GiGi’s Playhouse Chicago!

Teens with Down syndrome perform The Wizard of Oz at GiGi’s Playhouse Chicago!

Wow. Our Teen Drama Troupe has done it again. After months of rehearsal, the troupe staged not only their first musical, but their first run of multiple shows … to great success!

Playing to packed houses on both Saturday, the 15th, and Sunday the 16th, our group of teen thespians brought smiles and joyous tears to everyone in the audience. As has become the practice, all 8 of the girls in the troupe had a chance to play Dorothy during the performance, while the guys played her compatriots along the yellow brick road. Memorable moments included Andrew — who had been fighting a cold — lighting up when he saw the Scarecrow costume, and Rachel, as Dorothy, improvising goodbyes to members the audience after saying her rehearsed goodbyes to the Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow.

We have so many people to thank for this performance: Sudio Be, and their executive director Aaron Shapiro; our onstage volunteers Amanda Averack,Aislinn Gauchay (filling in for sick husband Travis), Lawrence Kern,Kendra VanKempen, Peter VanKempen(who also served as music director, narrator and “Auntie Em”); our backstage volunteers Jess Fernandez, Kate Garwood and Katie White; and our front of house helpersIsabel Diaz, Amy Cohen, Lisa Schneider, Lacey Sewell and Megan Yarbrough.