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DIMENSIONS & DRAGONS!
- Autism Digest
- May 7
- 3 min read
Neurodiverse NYC Theatre Company ACTIONPLAY to Present New Musical
Limited engagement plays May 17 and 18 at the 14Y Theater
A group of actors fight to save their town in the exciting new musical Dimensions & Dragons created by the neurodiverse theatre company Actionplay. The World
Premiere runs May 17 and 18 at the 14Y Theater. Longtime collaborators Kate Trammell (director) and Kimberly Hale (choreographer) return to helm this production. Shane Dittmar returns as composer and music director.
Dimensions & Dragons was created through Actionplay’s Action Improv Musical Series (AIMS), with rehearsals starting in October. The musical was created by 17 neurodivergent actors ranging in age from 13 - 22. During the course of 8 months, the company creates a new musical through music and improv.
Actionplay was founded in 2011 and is dedicated to providing autistic, neurodivergent, and disabled teens and young adults equal access to the theatre-making process. The company provides year-round programming and recently performed at Night of Too Many Stars at The Beacon Theatre.
Executive Director and Founder Aaron Feinstein shared, “Autistic joy on stage is a big part of what makes Dimensions & Dragons so unique. The original script created with the autistic and neurodivergent cast and autistic playwright Jackson Tucker-Meyer has the right mix of middle earth and blockbuster movie references. The pop score also created with the cast under Shane Dittmar's musical direction is chock full of hilarious songs performed by the cast with gusto!” He went on to say, “It's a delight to see what the young people accomplish in our Sunday morning AIMS Program which runs from October-May, and we are looking forward to
sharing our 10th original music!”
ABOUT DIMENSIONS & DRAGONS!
The magical kingdom of Titania is in peril. The dragon wants a lot of gold – and the townsfolk are broke. To save the day, Queen Maribeth summons a team of legendary heroes. There's only one problem: They aren't really heroes. They're actors.
The cast features Simón Akiba, Shayaan Aman, Alan Basiev, Preston Burger, Grace Cerritos, Alice Cha, Daniel Chaikelson, Charlie DeWitt, Sam Drezner, Lev Garfein, K Hara, Sammy Hecht, Emily Kendall, Andrew Lyle, Max Moore, Zion Sanchez, Nicholas Tangney, Mitchell Vaynberg and Jerry Velez.
The band includes Shane Dittmar (piano), Patrik Gelbart (keyboard/woodwinds), Erik Gundel (guitar), Mohan Ritsema (bass), Tania Kass (drums).
The creative team includes Yang Yu (lighting design), Grant Duffrin (projection design), Federica Borlenghi (set/prop design), Jackson Tucker-Meyer (sound design/script supervisor), Preston Burger (assistant choreographer), Patrik Gelbart (assistant music director), Elizabeth DeSole (costume design), Adelaide DeSole (assistant costume designer). Volunteer support staff includes Samantha Elisofon, Matthew Kaplan, Mikey Lorch, Devan Manning, and Jerry Velez.
Performances take place on Saturday, May 17 at 7:30pm, and Sunday, May 18 at 2pm and 7pm. Running time: 60 minutes. The 14Y Theater is located at the 14th Street Y, 344 East 14th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues), 2nd floor (elevator access/wheelchair accessible), New York, NY 10003. Subway: L train to 1st Avenue. Tickets are $30 general admission.
Actionplay is an NYC-based 501(c)(3) programming, outreach, and education organization dedicated to providing autistic, neurodivergent, and disabled teens and adults equal access to education, arts, and culture. Actionplay helps to develop life skills in a fun-filled and supportive environment where participants thrive. Through our innovative programs, outreach, training and professional development, Actionplay strives to build a more inclusive world. www.actionplay.org
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