BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID:-//github.com/ical-org/ical.net//NONSGML ical.net 5.1.4//EN VERSION:2.0 BEGIN:VEVENT DESCRIPTION:From the White Bear Press The Penguin Players perform “This i s Me: An Inclusive Cabaret Celebration\,” featuring the music of “Foot loose\,” 7 p.m. Saturday\, June 6\, and 2 p.m. Sunday\, June 7\, at the White Bear Lake Area High School Theater\, 5040 Division Ave.\, Door A. Fo r tickets and details\, visit northernstarz.org/ns-off-site-events-and-sho ws. School may be out at White Bear\, but their theater lights are staying on. This weekend\, the Penguin Players—a theater troupe for people with developmental disabilities\, ages 16 and up—will perform a musical revu e featuring selections from the musical “Footloose.” Penguin Players is one of three programs for people with disabilities that is run out of N orthern Starz Center for Performing Arts\, a nonprofit theater in the City of Ramsey. While the Ramsey location boasts an entire season worth of pro gramming\, executive director Rachel Bohnsack saw a need in White Bear as well. “More individuals with special needs need more things to do\,” Bohnsack stated\, “and theater has never been one of those things that h as been accessible to them on a larger scale.”   Northern Starz’ cre ative director\, Kyle Frederickson\, explained that all three Penguin prog rams stage well-known shows\, such as “Annie” or “Willy Wonka\,” then fit the show to the cast’s abilities without simplifying the conten t. “This is not a sideshow attraction\,” Frederickson said. “There ’s not one person who goes and doesn’t come out of it crying because i t’s so well done.” ‘The actors are doing what they should be doing at their age and ability level\,” Bohnsack added. Bohnsack used Norther n Starz’ recent production of “Aladdin” as an example\, in which the actor who played The Genie was nonverbal. To work around this\, the actor delivered her lines through a voice box\, and a “genie choir” perform ed all of her musical numbers. This version’s Genie\, then\, had a uniqu e\, mystical feel\, and the actor still delivered an effective performance .   “That’s what the fun part about the Penguin Players is\,” Fred erickson said. “It does not matter if you are wheelchair bound or if you are nonverbal. You have a good chance of getting a lead.” Northern Sta rz is also home to Penguin Pals\, for ages 5-12\, and Penguin Project\, fo r ages 10-21. Having programming for all ages\, Bohnsack described\, helps foster a continued sense of confidence in people with developmental disab ilities. “We had a nonverbal kid last year\,” Frederickson recalled\, “and we gave him the part of a dog. He was so excited. That’s what he wanted to do\, and he was so happy … on stage\, and everybody gave him encouragement. So now\, he’s starting to be verbal\, and his parents are like\, ‘This is amazing.’” Each Penguin artist also has a peer men tor\, someone close by in age who can confidently support an individual wi th special needs. “Theater kids and choir kids love being mentors becau se they’re back on stage\,” Frederickson stated. “They have to get c ostumed\, and they have to know all the lines.” While peer mentors serve as a kind of understudy\, they almost always become dear friends with the artists. “Spending so much time one-on-one with each other?” Frederi ckson remarked. “The mentors start to realize Penguins are just like eve rybody else.” The Penguin Players perform “This is Me: An Inclusive C abaret Celebration\,” featuring the music of “Footloose\,” 7 p.m. Sa turday\, June 6\, and 2 p.m. Sunday\, June 7\, at the White Bear Lake Area High School Theater\, 5040 Division Ave.\, Door A. For tickets and detail s\, visit northernstarz.org/ns-off-site-events-and-shows. DTEND:20260607T050000Z DTSTAMP:20261025T081201Z DTSTART:20260607T190000Z LOCATION:White Bear Lake Area High School Theater SEQUENCE:1 SUMMARY:Penguin Playerrs performance UID:a5aec0db-d3c9-4780-baa2-3f775f37133e X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

From the White Bear Press

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The Pen guin Players perform &ldquo\;This is Me: An Inclusive Cabaret Celebration\ ,&rdquo\; featuring the music of &ldquo\;Footloose\,&rdquo\; 7 p.m. Saturd ay\, June 6\, and 2 p.m. Sunday\, June 7\, at the White Bear Lake Area Hig h School Theater\, 5040 Division Ave.\, Door A. For tickets and details\, visit nort hernstarz.org/ns-off-site-events-and-shows.

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School may be out at White Bear\, but their theater ligh ts are staying on. This weekend\, the Penguin Players&mdash\;a theater tro upe for people with developmental disabilities\, ages 16 and up&mdash\;wil l perform a musical revue featuring selections from the musical &ldquo\;Fo otloose.&rdquo\;

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Pengu in Players is one of three programs for people with disabilities that is r un out of Northern Starz Center for Performing Arts\, a nonprofit theater in the City of Ramsey. While the Ramsey location boasts an entire season w orth of programming\, executive director Rachel Bohnsack saw a need in Whi te Bear as well.

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&ldquo\;More individuals with special needs need more things to do\,&rdqu o\; Bohnsack stated\, &ldquo\;and theater has never been one of those thin gs that has been accessible to them on a larger scale.&rdquo\;

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Norther n Starz&rsquo\; creative director\, Kyle Frederickson\, explained that all three Penguin programs stage well-known shows\, such as &ldquo\;Annie&rdq uo\; or &ldquo\;Willy

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Wonka\,&rdquo\; then fit the show to the cast&rsquo\;s abilities wit hout simplifying the content.

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&ldquo\;This is not a sideshow attraction\,&rdquo\; Frederic kson said. &ldquo\;There&rsquo\;s not one person who goes and doesn&rsquo\ ;t come out of it crying because it&rsquo\;s so well done.&rdquo\;

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&lsquo\;The actors are doing what they should be doing at their age and ability level\,&rdquo\; B ohnsack added.

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B ohnsack used Northern Starz&rsquo\; recent production of &ldquo\;Aladdin&r dquo\; as an example\, in which the actor who played The Genie was nonverb al. To work around this\, the actor delivered her lines through a voice bo x\, and a &ldquo\;genie choir&rdquo\; performed all of her musical numbers . This version&rsquo\;s Genie\, then\, had a unique\, mystical feel\, and the actor still delivered an effective performance.

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&ldquo\;That&rs quo\;s what the fun part about the Penguin Players is\,&rdquo\; Fredericks on said. &ldquo\;It does not matter if you are wheelchair bound or if you are nonverbal. You have a good chance of getting a lead.&rdquo\;

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Northern Starz is also ho me to Penguin Pals\, for ages 5-12\, and Penguin Project\, for ages 10-21. Having programming for all ages\, Bohnsack described\, helps foster a con tinued sense of confidence in people with developmental disabilities.

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&ldquo\;We had a non verbal kid last year\,&rdquo\; Frederickson recalled\, &ldquo\;and we gave him the part of a dog. He was so excited. That&rsquo\;s what he wanted to do\, and he was so happy &hellip\; on stage\, and everybody gave him enco uragement. So now\, he&rsquo\;s starting to be verbal\, and his parents ar e like\, &lsquo\;This is amazing.&rsquo\;&rdquo\;

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Each Penguin artist also has a peer ment or\, someone close by in age who can confidently support an individual wit h special needs.

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&ldquo\;Theater kids and choir kids love being mentors because they&rsquo \;re back on stage\,&rdquo\; Frederickson stated. &ldquo\;They have to get costumed\, and they have to know all the lines.&rdquo\; While peer mentor s serve as a kind of understudy\, they almost always become dear friends w ith the artists.

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&ldquo\;Spending so much time one-on-one with each other?&rdquo\; Frederi ckson remarked. &ldquo\;The mentors start to realize Penguins are just lik e everybody else.&rdquo\;

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The Penguin Players perform &ldquo\;This is Me: An Inclusive Cab aret Celebration\,&rdquo\; featuring the music of &ldquo\;Footloose\,&rdqu o\; 7 p.m. Saturday\, June 6\, and 2 p.m. Sunday\, June 7\, at the White B ear Lake Area High School Theater\, 5040 Division Ave.\, Door A. For ticke ts and details\, visit northernstarz.org/ns-off-site-events-and-shows.

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