PURPLE & GOLD / 2024-25
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT
BACKLIGHT PRODUCTIONS PARTNERS WITH CPA ARTS
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JAKE SPECK
In June, 2022, Head of School Nate Morrow forwarded me a proposal he had received from Backlight Productions, a professional theatre company serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I hadn’ t even officially started the job at CPA and was still living in Houston, but I looked at the proposal and thought,“ Wow, this looks really special”. So we hopped on a Zoom meeting with Backlight founder Melissa Smith. Little did I know, that zoom meeting would lead to one of the most meaningful things I’ ve ever been a part of, not only at CPA, but anywhere.
A“ backlight” is a light used to shine on a performer from behind to keep him / her from blending into the background. This is what Backlight Productions does for adults( and now kids) with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They flip the script. The actors with disabilities aren’ t in the background. They aren’ t resigned to cameos or lesser, secondary roles. They are the leads. And the Backlight team does whatever it takes to support them and make sure they succeed. This includes casting everything from seasoned Broadway performers( sometimes with Tony Award nominations- no joke) to local professional actors and high school students to surround and support the Backlight artists and elevate their performances.
The result is pure magic. A theatrical expe-
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