In Play with Grace’s Expressive Drama program, "Taking Flight," you will experience firsthand the excitement of the theater. Throughout this 12 week program you will create, as part of a team, an original theatrical production, culminating in a performance before a live audience.

We will experiment with improvisation, mime, role-playing, and theater techniques. We will play simple movement games and explore personal space through mirroring and balance. We will work with real life experience, creative imagination and fantasy to create characters, settings and plots . . . with music and dance integrated throughout. Our production may include elements of comedy, romance, tragedy, fantasy or mystery; and your own unique and valuable contributions will be appreciated by all.

Our staff are all trained arts and human service professionals so you are in good hands. We make it a priority to be available for your questions or concerns. And you will be paired with an appropriate mentor whose goal is to make sure that your participation is a satisfying, enjoyable and growth-provoking experience.

Because this is improvisation (not formal theater), your role(s) will be varied and unfold naturally in a way that is comfortable and designed according to your preferences and needs. We will make sure that you have the support you need in order to create an experience that is meaningful for you.

There are a wide variety of roles you can play in our expressive drama program, and our mentors are there to support you in whatever you choose to do.

Each participant will identify personal goals and can select tasks and roles of interest within the program:

• Theatrical

• Technical

• Props/Set Design

• Writing

• Music Selection

• Choreography

• Costume Design

• Make-Up

• Advertising

• Fundraising

• Sales

• Administrative

In our Songs of Life Workshop & Musical Performance, Musicians, Mentors and Participants come together to create original pieces of music that capture each participant’s dreams, ideas, philosophies, and/or personal messages to the world.

Participants are given the opportunity to assist in the compilation of both the melody and lyrics, with dance or movement accompaniment as preferred.

Our work together over 12 weeks will culminate in an on-stage performance, with costumes worn if desired.

Participants will perform songs along with select musicians, and performances may be enhanced with voice & dance contributions from the rest of the Play with Grace Players.

Many of these songs will again be performed in the Fall session of “Taking Flight” Expressive Drama.



TESTIMONIALS

I have observed Ms. Mosher's professional efforts first-hand as my daughter, a 27-year old woman with Down's Syndrome, has greatly benefited from these creative/ therapeutic services. This was a very liberating experience for my daughter, as she was a given a full range of expressive and artistic opportunities under Ms. Mosher's able direction. I am confident that by expanding her innovative programs, more individuals with disabilities will learn how to imagine and create in remarkable new ways -- these new modes transcend their physical and mental limitations.I want   to also express as a parent how gratified we were to see that our daughter's creative and artistic growth truly flourished with Carmelina's "above and beyond" personal care and empathy. Our daughter clearly discovered new ways to cope with a challenging world under Carmelina's direction. Along with other parents, we attended wonderful theatrical productions -- with music, movement, dance, and drama -- directed by Carmelina. Only a highly skilled therapist could have evoked such a high degree of response from her disabled actors -- she is in short, a "miracle worker."

Philip (parent)

Carmelina has worked with our daughter for the past 8 years both individually  and in creative art/therapy classes. Over the years my wife and I have noticed tremendous growth in our child Carmelina's efforts. Our daughter has gained a new confidence in herself that she was unable to find elsewhere. She found her voice on stage! She started in expressive drama as a stage hand and today she is Center Stage. She learned leadership skills which have enabled  her to be a leader amongst her friends. Programs excel because of individuals like Carmelina Mosher. She helps make parents dreams come true for their cognitively disabled child.

Peter (parent)

I enthusiastically support "Taking Flight", an expressive drama program under the guidance of the talented Carmelina Mosher and with the collaboration of colleagues Dianne Pacl and Jarrod Law. My friend Jarrod is a 41 year old African American man with non-verbal autism who has made a book with me that includes his drawings and my writing. Jarrod's principal goal in life is to help those with autism see their essential value which is best done by showing them that they can achieve things not previously thought possible. He knows through first-hand experience that art is transformative, and wants to share that with everyone.

Cheever (lawyer, artist)

I am so excited about "Taking Flight" and being a mentor in the program. I know that such programs and workshops enhance the quality of life and self-expression for the participants. Creative endeavors assist people with disabilities to live better lives and have more control over the challenges that affect them in their environments. This is certainly very applicable to autism due to the particular nature of the disorder and the need for effective integration of the senses through creative expression. Creative activities in many forms help people to deal with the issues of their lives, deepen their enjoyment of life, and assist them in relating to others in a cooperative community setting. All of us are very positively affected in a culture that supports the arts for everyone.

Sarah (human services professional)

I have matured considerably by working with Carmelina, especially by using painting and drawing to learn about myself and to cope with problems. I also want to go further with all of this and want to participate in "Play with Grace" drama program. I believe autistic people may be especially creative and I think that many forms of creativity could actually change how autism is approached. I would be thrilled to be a participant in this program.

Jennifer (client, friend)