School & Family Magazine Newstand Frisco ISD November 2017 | Seite 14

Theatre Director Jonette Dalfonzo works with student Mark Doerr, who was cast in the lead role of Gaston.
Theatre Program
Caters to Audience
with Special Needs
Wakeland High School is the first Frisco ISD school to modify
a performance to serve students and adults with sensory
sensitivity.
The bright lights and loud noises of a
theatre production can be overwhelming
for people with autism and others with
sensory needs.
That’s why the theatre program at
Wakeland High School is planning some
adjustments to an upcoming performance
of the musical “Beauty and the Beast.”
“We want everyone to be able to ‘be
14 | FOCUS
our guest,’” said Theatre Director Jonette
Dalfonzo, referencing a song from the
popular Disney movie and musical. “That
means making a few changes to the for-
mat and design of the show to be sensi-
tive to people with sensory needs.”
It’s the first time a Frisco ISD fine arts
program has made a special effort to re-
spond to the needs of students and adults
who may have strong reactions to lights,
noise or sudden movements.
The Wakeland theatre program is
working with the FISD Special Education
Department and Autism Theatre Initiative
(ATI), a national non-profit dedicated
to making theatre more accessible, to
present one sensory-friendly matinee in
January 2018. Other showings will be