The Wizard of Oz at Widener Memorial School
The AWB Acting Lab is a program where we provide performing arts classes at various facilities for people with physical disabilities. The Acting Lab was primarily for adults until last spring when we provided our very first Acting Lab program for youth at Widener Memorial School in Philadelphia. AWB Junior Director, Maria Ceferatti, leads the program. Widener Memorial School is a public special educational school for children with physical disabilities ages 5-21. The program was held last spring, this fall and will continue in 2025.
For many of the students, it was their first experience performing in front of others. The structure of the program was as followed: an introduction to music, movement, rhythm, and acting through a number of games and activities that were age appropriate. Then each week, topics explored were incorporated into the production, culminating into the final show of The Wizard of Oz. Each class, the students learned different ways to bring a production to life, resulting in a final performance and reaping the benefits of their hard work.
The goal of the program was to highlight each student’s ability and show them that they can shine on stage. From this experience we hope the students’ main takeaway is knowing that they can do anything they set their mind to. We thank the William Penn Foundation for their grant support in launching the AWB Acting Lab program at The Widener Memorial School and can’t wait to see what the future has in store!
“What an amazing performance of the Wizard of Oz. Each actor showed bright smiles on their faces each time they receive applause from the audience. I feel that the acting lab was a huge success and an important program at Widener Memorial School and it is my hope that it continues.”
–Lisa Abraham, AWB Board Member
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AWB relies on volunteers.
The first Sunday of every month volunteers assist our actors at workshops as they learn their lines and rehearse their parts. Our most dedicated volunteers support our actors throughout the year and are a part of the yearly performance. There are opportunities for people who want a creative outlet through set design, props and costume development. Great for early teens, adults and seniors!