SCHOOLS

FREE Players take Clarke's stage

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A special needs acting troupe put on two impressive performances of “Legally Blonde Jr.” on the W.T. Clarke High School stage, according to East Meadow School District officials and the nonprofit organization that supports the group.

The Family Residences and Essential Enterprises Players performed at Clarke on June 3 and 4. Community members packed the auditorium on two occasions to watch the group tell the story of Elle Woods — a blonde sorority girl who confronts stereotypes, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. When Woods’s boyfriend ends their relationship and heads to Harvard University claiming she’s not serious enough, Woods charms her way into law school. Here, the character not only outsmarts her peers, but also realizes that law may be her natural calling after all.

Founded in 1977, FREE supports more than 4,000 individuals with intellectual disabilities, mental illnesses and traumatic brain injuries. In addition to the diverse array of services the Old Bethpage organization provides, they sponsor the FREE Players — an acting troupe that officials said embraces the talents of performers of all abilities.

Patrice Dobies, East Meadow’s director of special education and pupil personnel services, said the district was proud to host the recent production, which is also served as a fundraiser for FREE. Monies collected will help fund the creation of a theater of the players’ own; East Meadow SEPTA, which managed the concession stand and helped facilitate the event, also received a small portion of the proceeds.

The FREE Players’ partnership with the East Meadow School District dates back to January 2008, as officials said actors performed “Guys and Dolls” locally then. That relationship continued for the next few years, as the FREE Players staged “Seussical the Musical,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Damn Yankees” in East Meadow as well.

After a brief hiatus, Dobies said the FREE Players returned to Clarke with a variety show in November 2015. This past February, members of the troupe also became peer mentors to the special education students of the REACH program — Recognizing and Encouraging Accomplishments in Children.

An aim of the REACH program is to mainstream its students into group sports, arts and extracurricular activities. Dobies described the FREE mentorship as an “artists in residency” program.

“What we know is that the arts and music allow a lot of people to express themselves in a way they might not be able to using words and other forms of communication,” she said. “They’re using their creativity…this has been a wonderful partnership that’s allowed the community to see the potential in all people.”

Dobies said she thinks audience members at “Legally Blonde, Jr.” didn’t see people with disabilities acting, but rather, actors who are passionate about their art. They gave the FREE Players standing ovations for both of their performances of the family-friendly show.