The King & I Musical Showcase:
A Giant Step Towards Inclusion
Giant Steps School
•
•
•
•
An independent school for children with
autism in Sydney
Community approach with a transdisciplinary team including teachers, music
therapists, occupational therapists, speech
pathologists and support staff
4 music therapists across preschool,
primary and secondary programs
75 students each with a primary diagnosis
of moderate to severe Autism
What is Autism?
• “A life-long complex developmental disability in which there is
dysfunction of some parts of the brain and central nervous system.
This affects how a person learns to understand and use
communication and to interact with people and the environment.”
(NAS, 1998)
• Prevalence: 1 in 150 births
• Higher diagnosis in males than females
• No single known cause or cure
• Diagnosed by a paediatrician and/or psychologist.
• Occurs equally within all ethnic and socio-economic groups.
A diagnosis of Autism
means…
Communication
Social interactions
Repetitive behaviours
Emotional Regulation
Cognitive Ability
Sensory
Historical Context:
The Opera House has been involved in programming autism-friendly performances
for our own productions since 2011 and they are now part of our regular annual
Education and Kids at the House programs.
Autism-friendly performances are part of a larger accessibility philosophy that aims to
provide patrons with disabilities choices:
-
For some they are a stepping stone in order to be comfortable with visiting the
Opera House and attending regular performances.
-
For others, autism-friendly performances have the features they need in order to
participate fully.
Past Experience:
2012
2013
2014
Familiar to the unfamiliar…
Studio theatre
Joan Sutherland Theatre
Three-way partnership begins:
Sydney Opera House (Venue)
Opera Australia (Performing Company)
Giant Steps School (Audience)
Meetings start at the beginning of 2014
Sydney Opera House
(Venue)
Aim:
- Expand autism-friendly performances
to new artforms (musical)
- Share our autism-friendly
performance model with our Resident
Companies
- Use our relationship with Giant Steps
as pilot audience and expert advisors
to inspire confidence at what can be
achieved.
Sydney Opera House
(Venue)
Mapping the Project
-
Communicate modifications with FOH, Security, Technical, Food and Beverage and
Theatre and Events staff.
Planned, predicable route from arrival to departure.
Timing and scheduling.
Balance of sensory stimuli.
Briefing of staff, volunteers.
Sensory supports made available: Fidgets, weighted lap pads, textured maps.
Open door, chill out spaces, gathering places.
Parking and directions.
Think about: movement in and out and around the venue – seating options, space,
safety..
Opera Australia
(Performing Company)
•
•
•
•
•
National Opera Company, with reach into remote and regional areas.
Stepping stone in building OA’s accessibility program.
Journey of careful preparation and challenges.
Changing organizational culture: ways of thinking & perceptions.
Internal support for the project from the Australian Opera and Ballet
Orchestra and The King & I Performing & Production Company.
Opera Australia
(Performing Company)
Mapping the Project
•
•
•
•
•
Communicate school visit plans and rehearsal modifications with Production Team, incl.
Technical, Company Office, Director, Conductor, Orchestra, Performers.
Considerations regarding Costumes, Transport, Artists, etc. for School Visit
Confirm repertoire and scheduling and timing around limited rehearsal time on stage
for SOH event.
Briefing of all staff involved, incl. what to expect, how to react, what to avoid.
Communicate success of pilot internally, raising awareness and creating a pathway to
future relaxed performances, i.e. The Magic Flute in January 2015.
Giant Steps School
(Audience)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Visual forewarnings
Meet your Seat
Performers visit Giant Steps
A place to gather for a snack and to go to the toilet at the venue
Incentive to move up flights of stairs
Chill out space
Sensory supports
Lighting & Sound modifications
Appropriate staff to student ratio
Demarcation of rows
Familiar ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ songs
Punctuality of start and finish times
Giant Steps School
(Audience)
Assembled a small team of dedicated staff to help organise:
• Risk assessments
• Excursion planners
• Permission notes
• Visual forewarnings
• Transport
• Staff to student allocation
• Sequence of events
walk in Opera House
• Seating
• Themed lessons
• Creating resources – e.g. tickets
• Changes to the general routine of the school day – e.g. bells, assembly
• Volunteers
• Publicity consent from parents
Outcomes & Learnings
SOH
Helped to inspired confidence in Opera Australia that it can successfully
provide Autism-friendly programs at Sydney Opera House and this model can
be used with other Presenting Companies in the future.
Outcomes & Learnings
Opera Australia
• Communication challenges due to touring schedule of performing company
• Fluctuating commitment, with implications on repertoire / performers / staff
involved
• Briefings in the absence of prior experience and / disability awareness training
• Pilot video engaged with staff across all departments – increase in workplace
satisfaction
• Increased internal support for other accessibility initiatives – gaining traction &
momentum
Outcomes & Learnings
Giant Steps School
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Very positive experience for the majority of our students
The acoustics of the Joan Sutherland theatre worked well for this
audience
Students were very engaged and able to sit happily for a lengthy period of time
The King and I performers’ visit to the school was very successful
Chill out space was very effective
Students who were having a tough day still came to the Opera House because of positive
memories
Very keen to continue building on our 3-way partnership and venture into new territory for
our students in the future.
The King & I Musical Showcase:
A Giant Step Towards Inclusion
https://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=DEZE6lhFKPc