Community outings allow our people supported to participate in exciting and enriching opportunities throughout the city and beyond. A recent outing that people supported by ADAPT were able to participate in was the off Broadway play Almost, Maine. The show explores hope, love, and connection in a remote, mythical almost-town called Almost, Maine, presented by EPIC Players, a neuro-divergent theater company in New York City.
The diverse theatre company is dedicated to creating professional performing arts opportunities and supportive social communities in the arts for persons with developmental disabilities. Tobi Schuster, attending Lawrence Ave Day Habilitation said: “It was nice to see actors with autism because you don’t see actors with disabilities on stage, I think it’s nice when they have someone who is disabled doing something in the community. If they are qualified to do a job, it shouldn’t matter if we are disabled or not.”
Some participants met before the show to share a meal and discuss what we were looking forward to about the production before going to the theatre. Others attended virtually and viewed a live stream of the event.
Hunter Kaufer, one of our Theater Specialists, shares “I was thrilled when I learned about EPIC Players’ production of Almost, Maine. Our group had begun learning the scenes and developing the characters during Acting class and I knew it would be fun for us all to see another interpretation”
Many attendees had read the play prior to the event and were asked to compare what they read to what they saw. Each attendee participated in a post-show discussion detailing their favorite scenes from the show and which characters they most identified with.
At ADAPT Community Network we believe that even the widest range of services is too narrow if it overlooks enjoyment. Our recreational programs encourage friendships, fun, and community engagement.