Disability and Progress-August 1, 2024- The Penguin Project at Northern Starz Center for the Performing Arts,

[00:00:58] Speaker A: Thank you for joining disability on progress where we bring you insights into ideas about in discussions on disability topics. My name is Sam. I'm the host of this show. Thanks so much for tuning in. Charlene Dahl is my research pr woman. Miguel engineers this episode. My name is Sam again. I'm the host of this show. And tonight we will be speaking with several people and we'll start out with Rachel Bonesock. Rachel is the co founder and executive director of the Northern Stars center for the Performing Arts. And Paula Anderson. Paula is the associate director of Northern Stars as well and also the show director, Viva Anderson. Viva is the associate director of adult education and the customer for Penguin project. I hope I got that right. And Lisa Ludom. Lisa is the mother of one of the artists, Missy Persad. And she is the mother of one of the artists and also a mentor. Lisa Monsrud and Jack, I'm sorry, Zach Webster. Lisa is the mother of Zach. And Zach started out as an artist in the Penguin project and now is a mentor in the program. Ah, did I get all that also? Certainly. But last but not least, John Scallon. And John is here to correct me with any of big, huge errors that I make. So anyway, thank you all for coming in. There's a lot of people and I appreciate everyone's time. So I want to start out, Rachel, with you. And what I would ask is when you guys are going to talk that you identify who you are so people know who's talking. So Rachel, can you please start out by telling me what is the Northern Star center for the Performing Arts? [00:03:15] Speaker B: This is Rachel. And Northern Star center for the Performing Arts was founded as a nonprofit a little over twelve years ago. We started out as a children's theater, but have moved into all sorts of performing arts. We do dance, theater, music for all ages and all abilities. Our youngest right now is about a four year old. Our oldest in our project is 83. Along with that, of course, we have all abilities in theater, dance and music. Here. [00:03:45] Speaker A: See Charlene, you could still apply. Sorry, I have to pick on her once in a while because otherwise she thinks I don't remember she's there. Great. So when and where did the Penguin project originate? [00:04:08] Speaker B: So 20 years ago, doctor Andy Morgan in Peoria, Illinois. He is a doctor for cerebral palsy, kids with cerebral palsy. And he also loved theater. And he wanted to somehow combine the two loves of his life besides his wife, Kathy Morgan. And he put together this program to work with individuals with any type of disability or special need. And that in and of itself is not extraordinary. However, he incorporated mentors, pure, neurotypical mentors, on the stage at the same time, working with the artists for a four month period from the first rehearsal through the productions. And those mentors help the students on stage with their lines and their songs and their music. They just. Peoria, or Penguin Project foundation, just had their 20 year anniversary this year, and they started out with one location in the United States. Now they have 62, and we are the only ones in Minnesota at Northern Stars that has a penguin project. [00:05:16] Speaker A: So how did you hear about the project? [00:05:19] Speaker B: I actually heard it from one of my old board members. She knew of another theater in Nebraska. She was friends with their executive director. And she told me that they had the program. They were probably the fifth or 7th in the country to have it. And four of us, about nine or ten years ago now, went down to Peoria in the middle of winter driving. [00:05:42] Speaker A: And oh my. [00:05:44] Speaker B: Yeah, it was. There was a blizzard on the way down and the way back, and we went to see the Penguin project, their production, and it was the most amazing thing that I've seen on stage. I've been on stage since I was six months old, and I've never cried so much and been so happy in my entire life. At the same time, it's very fulfilling. The kids are fantastic and the families are just extraordinary. [00:06:09] Speaker A: So why did you think that it would be a great thing to bring to Minnesota? [00:06:14] Speaker B: First of all, there's just not. There's not a lot of programs out there for individuals with special needs, especially in the theater world. There's more and more as we move forward, but especially back then, there's just nothing there for that age of students on stage. And then we had a couple of board members at the time that were actually sped teachers in Anoka Hennepin school District and for their love of special education. And I know Paula had worked as a para for many, many years in the school district, and we just wanted to be able to bring this to the community and let everybody share the happiness that we saw. [00:07:01] Speaker A: How many penguin projects are there around the country to date? [00:07:07] Speaker B: There's 62. [00:07:09] Speaker A: Wow. And this is the first time I've heard about it and not too long ago. That's amazing. [00:07:18] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm glad you heard about it. [00:07:22] Speaker A: So I want to, I guess, ask how. So you decided that this would be a good addition and the age that can be in this is very vast, which is good. I'm wondering, how many shows have you done with the Penguin project, our guys. [00:07:47] Speaker B: And dolls production, which is this year, August 1 to the fourth will be our 7th production. So, yeah, we've been doing this for the past seven years. We started planning it about nine years ago, though it takes a little while to get. [00:08:00] Speaker A: That was the second musical I was in in my high school, so. Good memory. [00:08:06] Speaker B: Well, you should come see it. [00:08:07] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:08:09] Speaker A: Guys and dolls. Jeez. I remember that. So what has, you know, the feedback been from students and parents and the community. [00:08:28] Speaker B: Feedback has been phenomenal. It's such an interesting concept. And what a lot of people don't understand is some of these kids have come to us not having a friend before, not having someone they can socialize with, not having the ability sometimes to socialize. And even after the first year, they leave socialized. They leave with friends. Friends they leave with their mentors, become their friends, and they go out and do other things outside the realm of theater. And that's the whole point of the program, is to build those friendships, those relationships, and to build empathy for one another. Some of the mentors would never have known that they can work with individuals with special needs without programs like this. And I think it's really important to keep that. To keep that alive and keep it going in the community. And especially now, after the unsocialization of COVID that brought us some really hard socializing skills or non socializing skills. So I think that bringing this to the community betters everyone. I know that we've got some parents here and some people that can probably answer even better than I can because their kiddos are involved in the program. [00:09:49] Speaker A: And what type of disabilities can qualify for the penguin? Like, what kind of disabilities do people have that can qualify to be in the penguin project? [00:10:03] Speaker B: You can have any type of disability, from ADHD to Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, any type of physical disability, neurodiversity, neurological disability. Anything qualifies you to be in the program. Wow. [00:10:23] Speaker A: Fine. I'm coming to you guys. Awesome. [00:10:27] Speaker B: We have penguin players, too, ages 16 plus. [00:10:32] Speaker A: So what have been some of the strengths of the project? [00:10:41] Speaker B: Is the most want to answer? I'm an icon. [00:10:45] Speaker C: This is missy. And as you said at the beginning, I have both an artist who is just going into high school, Matthew. And he has some cognitive delays and has ADHD and is on the autism spectrum. And I actually have my daughter Mikayla, who just graduated from high school, who is a mentor with the project as well. And for us, the experience has just been invaluable for both of them. Michaela has learned to deal with people of all different abilities, you know, to see that empathy on stage and, you know, learning to work with things that don't always go as expected. [00:11:31] Speaker A: Right. [00:11:32] Speaker C: It has just been wonderful. But also for my son Matthew, it's, it's just been an amazing project. I'll push guys and dolls again. He's Sky Masterson this year, so. But he had, he has always had a very hard time making friendships, and he wants nothing more in the world than to make friends with people. And, you know, I'll highlight Zach on the call here, who is just one of the most amazing human beings and looks out for Matthew and as well as all the mentors. But, you know, this is the one project where he can really shine. You know, he loves basketball and he played that, but he was always the kid who was a little bit slower to understand the game and really had difficulties there. But in Penguin project, they all work together, they all support each other, and you can just see the love and, you know, like Rachel said, there's so many times that we just end up crying at the end of the show. But, you know, there's two quotes that really stand out to me over the last couple years. One, there's another artist who Matthew brought a birthday invitation to last year, and that little boy said, I've never been invited to a birthday party before, so to see those relationships develop is just so heartwarming. And then just last night, I was at the theater and I was listening to one of the mentors parents standing off stage looking at all the kids on stage, and she said, you know, those are just the world's most wonderful people. They're just learning and growing together. So it's just been wonderful for our family from both a mentor perspective and an artist's perspective. [00:13:37] Speaker A: Wow. I'm just wondering, so can you someone talk a little bit about exactly how it works? So let's talk about, let's take guys and dolls. I think a lot of people out there will be familiar with that. So you have your general actors and actresses, and then where do the doubles come in or whatever you want to call them? You know, that. And then how do the mentors help? How does this work? [00:14:11] Speaker B: Paula, do you want to answer the question for us? [00:14:14] Speaker D: So I'm Paula Anderson, director of the production. So we have, we start at that four month out before our production date, and basically we bring everybody together and we let the artists and the mentors spend time together and hopefully kind of gel and find a friend. And then that is their artist mentor pair. So we kind of let that happen organically, if possible. And then that mentor, neurotypical mentor, hangs out with their I artist, and they will learn all of their lines, they'll learn all of their dances, and they're there basically as a support, but technically, they are just off of their shoulder, so they're almost a step behind, and they shadow them if needed. They will shadow their artist on stage and their dress in period clothes for this particular show. They look like they're part of the program, so they're not dressed in black, and we're trying to hide them. They're actually part of the show, and they participate in all of the dances. They participate in, you know, moving their artist if their artist needs assistance through this, the stage space. So the artist and the mentor, it looks like one big, cohesive unit once we're on stage. [00:15:54] Speaker B: Wow. [00:15:55] Speaker A: Okay. So if there's a line, does the mentor pick up the line? Do they give the artist the line? How does that work if the other line is missed or not? Not. Or forgotten? [00:16:12] Speaker D: Yeah. If the. If the artist needs assistance with that line, the mentor will feed it to them. Sometimes it's broken down just because of memory issues. So it may not be a full sentence. It'll be a partial sentence, and then the artist will deliver that partial of a sentence. The mentor gives them the rest. They'll deliver the rest. [00:16:37] Speaker A: Gotcha. [00:16:38] Speaker D: So it is. And that's only if needed. We have artists like Matthew in our show who are what we call flying solo. So they were able to learn all of their lines and their blocking without their mentor being right next to them on stage. Their mentor is still there on stage if they need support, but he's not right. Their mentor isn't right off their shoulder. [00:17:03] Speaker A: Nice. Cool. So are there other interesting stories of kids with disabilities and their peers that, you know, without disabilities that you can think about what, you know would be fun to tell? [00:17:24] Speaker B: Well, I. This is Rachel. I personally think that Lisa has one of the most fantastic stories, and I'll let her tell that about her son Zach. [00:17:35] Speaker A: Okay. [00:17:36] Speaker E: Hi, this is Lisa Monsrud, and I have Zachary Webster here. And I met Rachel a few years ago, and we started talking, and I had heard then about the Penguin project and just kind of asked, well, how do you get in it? Zachary has ADHD and anxiety and a mood disorder, which he's kind of grown out of. He's dyslexic, and he has dysgraphia as well. [00:18:04] Speaker A: Wow. [00:18:06] Speaker E: Sort of like what Melissa said, what Missy said, you know, hard to make friends, long term friends. Everybody kind of thought he was a little different. So I thought, well, I guess he kind of fits the bill. So let's try it. Let's see what happens. One thing that Zach used to have happen was if he was in a group of people, Orlando, whether it was our friends or what have you, he would throw up. And the first play, he went out for, Aladdin, the lead role. And of course, I'm encouraging, but I'm thinking in the back of my head, well, how's this going to work? He ended up making great friends with his mentor, Cameron. He ended up flying solo every show, and in the end he said, mom, there are kids there that have, like, a worse condition or special need than what he has. And so he actually started the transition to be a mentor, and now he's got two artists, and he. He would like to. I mean, this can change, but at this point in time, he wants to go be a special ed teacher or kindergarten teacher or something like that, to give back and help others. [00:19:27] Speaker A: So is Zach with us? [00:19:29] Speaker B: He is, yeah. [00:19:31] Speaker A: Hey, Zack, I'm wondering if you just tell me what's it like to like. You know, you came in feeling probably like you were going to be one to be helped, and obviously you have just soared, and now you have people who need help, that you're helping. What was that? I like for you. [00:19:52] Speaker F: I feel like it's just a great experience to meet everyone and give back. It just gives me. [00:19:58] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:19:59] Speaker F: Good feeling to know that there's people out there that need help and that I can help them. [00:20:06] Speaker A: That is a. That's an awesome feeling, isn't it? [00:20:11] Speaker B: So this is Rachel again. I just want to say that Zach also, not only is he part of the Penguin project, he is now we have a sleep away all abilities musical theater camp, and he's also now a junior counselor for that as well. So he's transitioned to not only project, but working in other ways with individuals with special needs. [00:20:30] Speaker A: So, Zach, what advice would you give some of the kids who want to be a mentor like you? [00:20:38] Speaker F: I think there's always someone that's. I don't know how to say this, but that's is going through worse. So never that. There's that. You're the worst. Just always think someone that always needs help. [00:20:58] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. I'm wondering, how have you managed to fund a program like this? [00:21:11] Speaker B: This is Rachel, the executive director. We have a couple different avenues we go down. We do a shout out to the Minnesota State Arts board and their support. We do get support every year from the Minnesota State Arts board through their grant funding programs. At each performance, we have a silent auction which builds up money for the following year's program as well. And we also get donors and sponsors. The Ramsey Alliance Club is a large donor of ours, our sponsor, each year for the Penguin project and several other businesses. Yeah, so that's how we get funding for it. [00:21:54] Speaker A: I think I have heard of one other theater company that is either trying to or starting to do something similar. Do you know of this? And if so, how are they different? [00:22:08] Speaker B: There was, I heard that there was one in like southern Metro, western metro, somewhere over in the Wayzata area. Maybe it wasn't a Penguin project, but it was similar to it. Personally don't know too much about their program, but I know that we want everybody to be able to experience this. So Northern Stars has actually been given the okay by the Penguin Project foundation to open several other locations in the state of Minnesota. So we are actually in the middle of doing that as well and talking with different locations in the metro and outstate to bring more penguin projects to different communities that need that. [00:22:53] Speaker A: And so are other theaters expressing interest in doing something like this, and if so, then how do you advise them? [00:23:02] Speaker B: Yeah, there are. Right now we're talking with three different theaters in three totally different parts of the metro or out state, Minnesota, and we're just working with them. There's a definitely written down protocol of how to do everything and how to bring the community together and how to support this program in your community. Teaching them about those kind of things and just talking to them and seeing what needs are out there and how we can help. [00:23:32] Speaker A: Okay, so what are some of the ways that you promote the Penguin project in your shows? [00:23:47] Speaker B: We promote, we have a volunteer marketing team here at Northern Star center for the Performing Arts. We use social media, we use print media, we do videos on TikTok. We are on Instagram. Kind of one of the things parents do is they. Well, they do a lot for the Penguin project. It's definitely a community involved program, but they also hang up posters to let people know when the show is and how to get tickets and stuff like that. [00:24:19] Speaker A: And I guess I'd like to talk to the parents of the group. I'm wondering if you can talk a little bit about, you know, being a theater parent is. Well, it takes a lot of time being a theater mom. And so I'm wondering if you could talk a little bit to that. Like, what are some of the things that you make sure that, I guess, some of the special things that you do that you make sure. It all works. [00:24:51] Speaker G: Well, I can. This is Lisa. Lisa Ludum. I can speak a little bit to the time involved. So I was. I learned about Northern Stars because I found camp under the stars for my daughter because I was looking for an all abilities sort of sleep away camp for her, which there are not many available. And the whole idea was I really wanted something that was like all abilities, because I really feel that that is actually true inclusiveness, because my daughter doesn't think that she's special needs, but she is. And so she's not interested so much in just being sort of isolated with other people with special needs. I mean, wants, you know, she doesn't always see them as their. As her peers. And so, you know, I was specifically looking for that. And then Rachel kept talking to me about the penguin project, but I had to drive from Minneapolis and from the middle of Minneapolis, not from northern Minneapolis, like the middle of Minneapolis. Oh, to ramsey to do it. And it's a time commitment. [00:26:12] Speaker A: Yes, it is. [00:26:13] Speaker G: It's a lot of time and a lot of driving. You know, it's like a. It's like to get there during rush hour. It's like a 45 minutes drive, and then, you know, she's got an hour and a half to 2 hours of rehearsal, and then we're, you know, and then it's driving back home, so. And, you know, in the last, it's like, first it starts out once a week, then it moves to two times a week, then three times a week, then it's four times a week. Right now, we're at four times a week driving up. So it's a big time commitment. I'm able to do it now just because of where my life is. And there's so much that my daughter gets from it that there's just no question she needs to do it, because if she's not there, like, a lot of kids with special needs, she just doesn't have a lot of social outlets. She just doesn't have a lot of friends. And so, you know, getting her to ping, like she's excited to go, you know, because she's just like, oh, you know, I get to see all these people that I'm starting to become friends with, and I think she now feels like this is her community, this is her posse now. And so I'm willing to do it because that it's. That's the thing that adds so much for her, is that. Is that it's a social outlet for her. [00:27:39] Speaker C: I. [00:27:43] Speaker A: So you guys have a big workshop, and maybe a play coming up, obviously. I know the workshop. I think. Can you talk a little bit about the workshop to begin with? [00:27:59] Speaker B: Yeah. The workshop is Saturday, August 3, and it's at a library in Brooklyn park, right next to North Hennepin community, community college, where we're actually doing the production. But I believe Viva and Paula are both doing the workshop. I'm not sure. Yeah, I did think about that, viva. I don't know. Do you want to talk a little bit more about the workshop and what we're going to be teaching? [00:28:23] Speaker H: If I'm teaching what I'm teaching with Penguin, then I know what I'm teaching. Okay, so I'm Viva Anderson. I'm the costumer for the Penguin project. This is my third year in doing it, although it's about my 40th year in theater. I think I've been doing theater about as long as Rachel, but I'm just a little bit older than her. So costumes for me, let me talk about that first. And costumes as a whole. I am retired from a school district as well, and I spent nine years of those 27 years with a school district I spent in special ed. It is my love and passion to work with people and to empower them, no matter who they are and to show them that they can do really cool things and that we can do really cool things together in theater. At Northern Stars, I, my associate director of adult education, I represent that aging group that we can't remember our lines and where we're supposed to be on stage, but we still have something to give. So with that said, with the penguin project, the first year that I worked with them, I saw all these parents who are dedicated, and at rehearsal, they stay at rehearsal. They don't just drop off their student and go. They stay there through the whole process, not necessarily in the same room as the students. And that's where I saw them and went, okay, there's a need here. And Zach said it. Well, there's a need. Some people need to help, and I can help them. So, Zach, I'm taking your words with parents that I saw there. And we started the CCC, the creative costume crew. And nowhere in that title does it say sewing, because they don't have to sew to be a part of. Of and integrate with the costume design and the making of the costumes for the show. So with the students in the show, I do a lot of theater, and sometimes you just make a costume and you say, this is what you're going to wear. And with the special needs students, there are sometimes idiosyncrasies they don't like the touch and feel of this fabric, or they can't have this too tight, or they can't do fast costume changes. They can't do buttons. They can't do zippers. So all of that is taken into consideration when we make the costumes and design the costumes for the penguins. Their mentors do help them, but sometimes they're super fast costume changes, and so we have to accommodate for that. So in the design work of color and scheme, like Paula already said, this is the forties and fifties is what guys and dolls is from. We get to design one of my favorite time periods to design. We get to design that and make them look like and feel like they are in the forties and fifties. And our job as costumers, as a costume team, is to help them with their character, become more of the forties and fifties. So that is what my part I will be presenting at this workshop also, is how to do that. And you don't have to use a sewing machine to do it. Missy is our hat queen. Lisa is great at hand hand stitching, and they are both a part of the costume crew. Yes. So. And we utilize that. I had a mom last year who simply cut off buttons out of one thing that we needed for something else. So. And we have fun. We support each other. That's like. Just like you're talking about the penguins. We're talking the parents, too. We are a support group for each other, and we just get to chat and have fun and laugh and design and. And do something special for all the students that are involved, whether they're mentors or whether they're the penguins, so. And we really enjoy doing that. [00:32:10] Speaker A: Well, it's funny that you talk about how some of the. How you try to fit the costume to the person, because they may not. They may have difficulty with material, texture or something, and I'm thinking they do. I know the forties and fifties, and they were not always comfortable, especially for the females, but. [00:32:31] Speaker B: Correct. [00:32:32] Speaker H: Correct. [00:32:35] Speaker A: So how long will the workshop be? What will you all do in it, and does it cost? [00:32:46] Speaker B: I believe the workshop is two. This is Rachel. I believe the workshop is 2 hours long. Myself, Paula Anderson and Vivo will all be talking during that time period. We just want to inform people of what the Penguin project is, and not only just the Penguin project, but if you don't do the Penguin project through northern stars, how do you bring in some programs with individuals with special needs? How do you work with that community and get them on stage? Everyone's fantastic to work with. And sometimes I think it's a little bit harder to promote this program. Not this program, promote individual special needs, because a lot of people don't incorporate the mentors. And I think that that's an integral part of getting kids on stage with special needs. First of all, it relaxes them. It helps them with their anxieties. But I think that that's kind of other things that we're going to talk about besides just penguin projects is how to work with individuals. And, John, I'll be honest, I don't remember what the cost was for this class. If you could speak on that. [00:34:12] Speaker I: Let's just say that we will not charge for the class. I'm on the Mac board and we just want people there because it's such a huge, wonderful opportunity. So no charge. [00:34:23] Speaker A: And could you remind me of the time again and the. And where it is? [00:34:30] Speaker I: Rachel, I have August 3. [00:34:32] Speaker H: Yes. On my calendar, I have it from two to four. Is that right? [00:34:36] Speaker I: Yes, two to four at the Brooklyn park library. [00:34:39] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:34:40] Speaker A: All right. You know, sometime you guys should do, and more and more people are doing this when you do your workshops that you have an online component to the workshop, especially for this, I feel like there's, you know, this is, you're really just trying to get the word out. And I feel like having a zoom part of the workshop would be excellent, especially if you don't have to charge. [00:35:08] Speaker H: That's a great idea. [00:35:09] Speaker A: Thank you. [00:35:10] Speaker H: Can I just say one thing about that anxiety that Rachel talked about? Not only anxiety with the special needs, but even if they're not special needs. My own daughter from, was in theater from third grade or prior to third grade through college. And at every audition, including college, she cried because she was so nervous. So this, what we learn as to how to work with people can works with everybody. And you just incorporate that for the special need community as well. So. [00:35:44] Speaker A: We need to teach theater teachers. [00:35:46] Speaker B: But then this being on stage, it definitely teaches life skills to everyone, whether in the production, working on the production, in adults, working on the production. We are still learning these life skills time after time doing the performing arts. [00:35:59] Speaker H: Absolutely. [00:36:01] Speaker A: Then you have a play later that day as well, correct? [00:36:07] Speaker B: Correct. Yeah. August 1 2nd, third at 07:00 p.m. and August 4 at 02:00 in the afternoon. We are putting on guys and dolls junior at North Hennepin Community College. [00:36:22] Speaker A: Okay. How can people get tickets? [00:36:26] Speaker B: You can get tickets at northern stars with a z, northernstars.org dot. You can also get them at the door at North Hennepin. [00:36:35] Speaker A: And how many is that? A pretty good size auditorium that seats? [00:36:42] Speaker B: Yeah, I believe it seats 250. I'm guessing. No, 350. I'm not sure, to be honest with you. I'd have to look at our seating chart. We usually do our shows at our facility, but we are off site for Penguin project because it is such a large production. [00:37:01] Speaker A: Rachel, I'm wondering if there's. I mean, there's got to be a whole bunch of stuff that goes into this. How do you find the kids to be in, you know, with the special needs? And is it easy for somebody to be willing? You know, if you ask a kid to mentor, are they usually pretty willing to do that. [00:37:26] Speaker B: First part? We actually have a couple community meetings. So project ends, like I said, the first week of August. We are meeting as a committee already in September, early October for the next year's production because it definitely takes a village. We have about 15 people on the Penguin project committee through northern Stars. That works on it once a month for about seven months, and then even more as the shows get closer. There's a lot of moving parts. There is. I mean, besides the theater aspect of it and coming here and rehearsing, we also plan outings with the mentors. Well, with the families. So we'll have picnics or we'll do. We'll go out and do swimming or we went bowling one year. So we want to integrate everybody together, keep the socialization going, even off stage, which brings so many families together. So many of these families are great friends now because of everything that we do together. And then as far as finding mentors, it's a little bit harder for us because our show is in the summer. So, yeah, a lot of times. And the ages are ten to 23. So a lot of times we lose some of our high schoolers in those high school years. Cause they get jobs, but we're always looking for mentors. It's a very special thing, I think, that connection that they make with their artists and with other mentors and artists on the stage. So we have, like I said, we have two community meetings, one in October, usually one in January, and then we start our program in April every year. [00:39:12] Speaker C: What is this, miss? I was just gonna make a comment on the mentors. You know, like Rachel said, we can always use more mentors. Right. Our goal is really to be one to one. And I know it's tough. I remember, actually, my daughter started a year later than she wanted to because she brought the schedule to me because a friend of hers was doing it as a mentor. And I said, oh, we go to the cabin, like, this isn't gonna work. And the reality of the matter is, I really love the schedule that they've put together. It respects the kids, you know, both the artist and the mentors schedules as they go through the end of the school year by eliminating our practices a little bit more. But then, as we get to the summer, you know, it's an evening. It's always in the evening. And we really respect the weekends from a scheduling perspective. So my daughter is working basically full time and being a mentor this summer, and, you know, she's able to do it all. And we've still gotten to the cabin a few times. So, you know, it's something where we would love to see more mentors. Right now we pull from, you know, a few local high schools, but we'd love to see more. [00:40:35] Speaker B: Absolutely. The mentors. Well, and the artists. But the mentors put in about 100 volunteer hours during each season. It's a lot. It's a lot. It's fantastic. Honestly, I wish I could get the national honor Society to honor those hours, even after school ends, because they put in a lot of time and a lot of effort, and it shows. [00:40:58] Speaker A: Do you know what your next production will be? [00:41:01] Speaker B: We do. So Penguin. We have Penguin Project and Penguin players. Penguin players is our adult version of Penguin Project. It's ages 16 to 120. And we are starting in October that we are producing footloose with that group. And then next summer, Penguin project, we're doing Lion King Junior. [00:41:24] Speaker A: Aw, yeah. All right, well, we need to wrap this up. Could you tell us one more time real quick about the. What times and dates and addresses of both the workshop and the play. [00:41:41] Speaker B: So the workshop is going to be held at Brooklyn Center Library. It is from two to four on Saturday, August 3. And then our production is August 1, second and third at 07:00 p.m. and August 4 at 02:00 p.m. all being held at North Hennepin Community College. [00:42:01] Speaker A: All right, thank you guys very much. John, did I miss anything? [00:42:07] Speaker I: No. I really enjoyed hearing about the fun that people have. And that's what I remember growing up with a friend who had a disability. We had more fun than was legal. I would guess that Zach has probably enjoyed and having fun. And your rehearsals must be filled with laughter when you're not, just because you've forgotten the line or something, but. [00:42:35] Speaker B: Well, I thoroughly enjoy watching these kids grow up on stage, watching them. We have a grad, you know, every the Sunday of each production. In the summer, we have a graduation, little graduation ceremony because kids do graduate age out. But watching these kids grow up on stage and just watching them transition from the very start until. Until they're done and now they're going into the Penguin players, it's just a phenomenal. It's just a phenomenal thing to watch after all these years. I've seen hundreds of kids graduate since I've started northern stars. But it's special to see these kids and what they've accomplished over the time that they've been with us with Penguin. [00:43:19] Speaker A: Well, I want to thank everyone for being willing to give their time. Like, you guys don't do a lot of that already, so thank you very much. You guys are probably some of the people that truly understand how valuable it is to volunteer your time. So that's how this particular radio show certainly works. Thank you again for being here. [00:43:42] Speaker H: Thank you. [00:43:42] Speaker B: Thank you. Appreciate it. [00:43:44] Speaker E: Thank you. [00:43:44] Speaker C: Appreciate it. [00:43:45] Speaker E: Thank you, Northern Stars, for being our village. [00:43:47] Speaker G: Yes. [00:43:50] Speaker A: This has been disability and progress. The views expressed on this show are not necessarily those of Kfei or its board of directors. My name is Sam. I am the host of this show. Charlene Dahl is my research pr person. Miguel engineered this episode. Erin is my podcaster. We were speaking about the Penguin project that works through the Northern Stars center for the Performing Arts. We were speaking with Rachel Bonesock. Sorry. And Paula Anderson and Viva Anderson, Lisa Luttum, Missy Persad and Lisa Mansouroud. And Zach Webster. This is KFAI 90.3 FM, Minneapolis, and kfai.org. thanks so much for listening. Kfi.org.