Volume 3 | Issue 3, April, 2019
CADA News and information!
CADA gets a storefront upgrade --
Thanks to Huntington Bank!
Thank you to Nick Browning and @Huntington Bank’s Huntington-Akron Foundation for their generous donation for our storefront upgrade at 1501 S Hawkins Ave. We love our studio, but the afternoon sunlight was blazing into the eyes of our students and audiences. We had taped up some paper to cover the windows, but it looked unprofessional and our students were still distracted by people looking in while classes and rehearsals were ongoing and our adult troupe expressed a need for more privacy -- so Huntington stepped in to help us create a beautiful and welcoming storefront.

We chose a bright and calming blue to match the interior. (We've called our space The Blue Box Studio ever since moving in!) The human symbols along the top row help to identify us as an inclusive and accessible space for those who do not read. The bottom row of colorful stars represent our belief that "everybody's a star" and that our job is to help release the star-power within! The windows were designed by CADA's resident artist Wendy S Duke and installed by FastSigns Akron.

Below: Company members celebrating with Huntington Bank Representative Amy E. Patton. Top row L to R: Jake Dietz, Scott Hudson, Program Assistant Director Ruben Ryan, Samir Hammoud, Wendy Duke, Amy Patton. Front row L to R: Daniel Seemans, JT "Styles" Toomer, Amanda Bugenske.
Summer Saturday Youth Programming at
The Center for Applied Drama and Autism
Join us for summer Saturday fun days at CADA! Summer classes begin June 29 and go through August 31. This summer, students and families can choose to attend for the entire 10 weeks ($260) or take the Drop In option ($26 per class). We will be offering two time slots: Elementary and Teens. Additionally, we are featuring some special activities as listed below.

9:30 - 10:30 -- elementary/middle school
10:45 - 11-45 -- teens/young adults

June 29 -- Improv for All (both classes)
July 6 -- Improv for All (both classes)
July 13 -- Improv for All (both classes)
July 20 -- Puppets (elementary) & Masks (teens)
July 27 -- Puppets (elementary) & Masks (teens)
Aug 3 -- Puppets (elementary) & Masks (teens)
Aug 10 -- Make a Play (elementary), Make a Video (teens)
Aug 17 -- Make a Play (elementary) Make a Video (teens)
Aug 24 -- Make a Play (elementary) Make a Video (teens)
Aug 30 -- Labor Day Improv (both classes)

Saturday, Sept 7 -- Teacher Training Workshop
Saturday, Sept 14 -- CADA/Theatre on the Spectrum Open House
Video Blog of the Month!
Above: Samir Hammoud (L) and JT Styles (R) recording an episode of JT's show in the video production lab at the downtown library.

Theatre on the Spectrum company members have been learning how to produce video blogs. JT "Styles" is our lead "vlogger" with 9 episodes up on Youtube. Recently, we booked the Akron-Summit Library's video production studio to experiment with the green screen to create a more professional look and sound for the JT Styles Files Show. Unfortunately, the studio is not sound-proof, so you will hear the chatter of a small child in the next room during the recording. But we are very pleased with the ease of working with the green screen, the use of the camcorder and the large iMac for editing. Look for more vlogs from more company members in future newsletters. You can also check out our Youtube channel here.
Out and About in the Community!
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Above: JT "Styles" Toomer, Ruben Ryan, Samir Hammoud, Joyce Wade, and Scott Hudson enjoy a student showcase performed by Cleveland's Dyke School for the Arts at the University of Akron's Guzzetta Hall.

Below: Ruben Ryan greets company members JT Styles and Amanda Bugenske at the Rialto Theatre in Kenmore. Ruben's long form improv troupe Just Go With It does a monthly show at the Rialto. Tickets are only $5 and the theatre is accessible for those in wheelchairs. On Thursday May 30, Just Go With It celebrates their 5 year birthday at the Rialto. Show time is 8 PM.
Applied Drama for Autism
Teacher Training Workshop -- June 22
Above:Acting teacher Debora Totti and student Griffin Snider in the Bus Stop improv game.


Teacher training workshops series continues at CADA!

The Center for Applied Drama and Autism will hold the third in a series of workshops for teachers and teaching artists on Saturday, June 22. The topic for this session is Improvisation for Autism and Special Needs youth and adults.


Our Teacher Training Workshops are taught by CADA co-founders Laura Valendza and Wendy S Duke. The workshops will cover a variety of improvisation techniques and games adapted for youth and adults on the autism spectrum and other special needs populations. Workshops begin at 9 AM and go until 4 PM with a one hour lunch break, and will take place at CADA’s Blue Box Studio located at 1501 S. Hawkins Ave.

Coming up:

Sept 7, 2019: Emotion games/exercises for self-advocacy and dealing with bullying

The six hour workshops are held on Saturdays. CEUS available on request.

Cost of workshops: 6 hours @$150 each. Scholarships available for persons interested in joining CADA as teaching staff. Contact us at 234-678-7830 or by email at info@centerforada.org to enroll and/or for further information.

Laura Valendza is an intervention specialist and a professional actor. Wendy Duke is a drama and autism specialist who is program director for Theatre on the Spectrum, a day theatre program for adults with special needs. Duke and Valendza have presented drama and autism workshops at Milestones National Autism Conferences, Very Special Arts Intersections conferences, National Autism Society and Greater Akron Autism Society.
Support CADA when shopping at smile.Amazon.com
.5% of your online purchases at Amazon will be donated to the Center for Applied Drama and Autism. All you have to do is click on the link below that takes you directly to CADA's Smile.Amazon site. Smile.Amazon.com has all the same products and services as Amazon's regular page -- the difference is you will be giving a percentage of your purchase to CADA. It's an easy way to support us!
Theatre on the Spectrum to present Act for Advocacy workshop at Milestones National Autism Conference -- June 12
Ruben, Wendy, and members of our adult troupe have been selected to present an interactive workshop at Milestones National Autism Conference on Wednesday, June 12 at 11:15 AM. The Troupe will present Act for Advocacy, a workshop that helps prepare people on the spectrum to speak up for their rights and for the rights of others. The workshop covers body language, tone of voice, and words that can de-escalate tense situations. Through use of improvisation and rehearsal (repetition), people with disabilities can prepare for specific situations such as dealing with hostile waitstaff, knowing what to do when accessibility is not a consideration, handling people who choose to bully rather than collaborate on finding solutions.

We hope to see you at Milestones!

Below: Brian Cogar, JT "Styles" Toomer and Ruben Ryan using improvisation to improve social skills.
CADA Calendar
Spring 2019 session: March 23 -- May 25

June 1st -- Summit Stage Fest: Theatre on the Spectrum performs Clowning Around! on the South Highland Stage at 1 PM

June 12 -- Theatre on the Spectrum presents Act for Advocacy at Milestones National Autism Conference at 11:15 AM.

June 15 -- Autism Society of Greater Akron: Step Into Autism 8:30 - 11:00 AM at Firestone Stadium

Teacher Training 6 hour Workshop: June 22

Summer 2019 Session: June 29 -- August 31

Teacher Training 6 hour Workshop: Sept 7

CADA/Theatre on the Spectrum Open House -- Sept 14

Fall 2019 Session: Sept 21 -- Nov 23
Center for Applied Drama & Autism | 1501 S Hawkins Ave, Akron 44320 | 234-678-7830 | info@centerforada.org | centerforada.org

Theatre on the Spectrum is CADA's performance wing. Our youth company rehearses on Saturdays. The adult company operates Monday through Friday from 10:30 am - 3:30 pm as a day theatre program for people on the spectrum of abilities, in collaboration with Ardmore, Inc.

For further information, please visit us at centerforada.org