The greatest moment I’ve had in Playing For Others was in my third year at the art buddy event. My buddy had not been able to come to any of the events so far because she lived so far away so I was losing any hope of having the “buddy experience.” That morning Jen asked me to work with an independent buddy who had heard about the program in the middle of the season. His name was Killani and he enjoyed running away from me and saying “No!” I chased him for about thirty minutes before I finally caught up. I got down on his level and looked him directly in the face. “Killani. Do you want to do a puzzle?” He looked at me directly in the eyes, grabbed my hands and said, “Yes.”
Killani is a child with autism.
Needless to say, the rest of my experience in PFO had the same altering effect. Last year I worked a twelve hour day. Part of it was stage managing for the show, Honk, and then I volunteered as a backstage manager for the Music Experience concert. I did everything, from selling photos to fixing cumberbunds, (all in heels) and I never stopped to say “Is this really worth it?” The faces on the kids when they walk down the red carpet and the free diet soda from the concession stand made all the difference for me and it’s been like that every year. My first year I worked as an assistant stage manager for “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.” My stage manager enjoyed hitting me with a plastic bat and I had to run up and down three flights of stairs just to call the actors to places. Surprisingly it was one of the best times in my life.
This year my buddy’s name is Caroline. She likes the color pink and loves to sing. She just happens to have cerebral palsy.
