News: EPIC Players Inclusion Company Begins Virtual Performance Series



On April 6, EPIC Players Inclusion Company - a neuro-diverse theater company based in New York City the name of which stands for empower, perform, include and create - was scheduled to sing at Lincoln Center's Clark Theater in honor of Autism Acceptance Month. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the performance and their upcoming season have been put on hold. Individuals living with autism and other neuro-diversities have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shuttered many of their essential resources, programs, and supports and left them even more vulnerable to anxiety and distress.

In an effort to spread some much-needed joy and inspiration, EPIC's company members, which feature artists on the spectrum, will share a series of virtual performances throughout the spring. Many of the videos will be in collaboration with Broadway talent. The company would also like to connect with additional Broadway talent who may be interested in working on a virtual performance with EPIC.

Artistic Director Aubrie Therrien shared how the virtual performances have positively impacted EPIC company members: “It’s critical that companies like EPIC continue to provide a sense of normalcy and support to this historically disenfranchised community. Some of our Players have experienced deaths in their families, their elderly caretakers getting ill, and extreme anxiety due to their entire social supports being very quickly removed from them. These videos provide something positive to work and collaborate on and a much needed social and creative outlet for them, and everyone in our company.”

Please enjoy the first two virtual performances by the company: the videos "Autism IS…," at the top of this post, and the original song "If the World Only Knew," by Scott Evan Davis, below.

Autism can mean so many different things to so many different people. In "Autism IS...," in celebration of Autism Acceptance Month, and in this time of crisis, EPIC’s autistic community members created a video about what autism is to them.

The original song "If the World Only Knew" was created by award-winning composer and lyricist Scott Evan Davis, who just wrote and composed the new musical Indigo, which workshopped off-Broadway this past fall featuring Betsy Wolfe and Telly Leung. "If the World Only Knew" was created for the autistic community and was shared with EPIC Players to be performed at their Lincoln Center cabaret.



Find EPIC Players on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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