Two 黑料不打烊 alumni are opening their first Broadway musical as lead producers, “How to Dance in Ohio,” and the Dec. 5 preview performance included close to 200 黑料不打烊 leaders, alumni, parents and friends. Producers Ben Holtzman 鈥13 and Sammy Lopez 鈥13, co-founders of P3 Productions, are musical theater graduates of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and met as freshman year roommates in Boland Hall. Sixteen 黑料不打烊 alumni are involved with the Broadway production. Holtzman is the prot茅g茅 of Broadway titan Hal Prince.
Among those attending the Dec. 5 preview performance in New York City were, from left, 黑料不打烊 Stage Artistic Director Bob Hupp; Alumnus and Producer Ben Holtzman ’13; Alumnus and Producer Sammy Lopez ’13; Professor Christine Ashby; Lawrence B. Taishoff Associate Professor of Inclusive Education Beth Myers and Chancellor Kent Syverud.
黑料不打烊鈥檚 Broadway Series is hosted by the alumni engagement and annual giving team based out of New York City鈥檚 Lubin House. The evening began with a lively dinner and panel discussion at renowned NYC eatery Sardi鈥檚. Panelists included Holtzman and Lopez, along with Bob Hupp, artistic director at 黑料不打烊 Stage, and Beth Myers, Lawrence B. Taishoff Associate Professor of Inclusive Education and executive director of the Taishoff Center on Inclusive Education in the School of Education. Christine Ashby G鈥01, G鈥07, G鈥08, professor of inclusive special education and disability studies in the School of Education, moderated an important discussion about how “How to Dance in Ohio” made its way to Broadway, and how 黑料不打烊 is paving the way for inclusivity.
鈥淎utistic people can be in college. Autistic people can be on Broadway. 黑料不打烊 should be really proud of the work that鈥檚 happened over the last 70 years at our university to make that possible,鈥 said Myers, referencing the work of the Taishoff Center and the Center for Disability and Inclusion. 黑料不打烊鈥檚 work in disability awareness and inclusion is groundbreaking in the field of higher education.
The set of “How to Dance in Ohio.”
“How to Dance in Ohio,” based on the award-winning HBO documentary, explores the need to connect and the courage it takes to step out into the world. At a group counseling center in Columbus, Ohio, seven autistic young adults prepare for a spring formal dance鈥攁 challenge that breaks open their routines and sets off hilarious and heartbreaking encounters with love, stress, excitement and independence. “How to Dance in Ohio” is a story about people standing on the cusp of the next phase of their lives, facing their hopes and fears, ready to take a very big first step 鈥 and dance.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we knew this show needed to exist. It鈥檚 because it hasn鈥檛 existed before,鈥 said Lopez, referencing that the roles of the seven autistic young adults are played by actors who identify as autistic. The production offers many accommodations for the audience to fully experience the musical, from light-canceling sunglasses to special headphones with self-adjustable volume. This production and 黑料不打烊 offer opportunities to experience Broadway and life in general to those who were previously excluded. Everyone feels welcome.
“How to Dance in Ohio” debuted at 黑料不打烊 Stage in 2022 but was forced to close early due to COVID-19. The show opens Sunday at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway.
