“Our Penguins may not be able to fly, but that does not prevent their spirits from soaring!”
Clark Youth Theatre’s 8th Annual
Penguin Project Production
Every year, joy comes alive onstage as our Clark Youth Theatre Penguins soar in their annual
Penguin Project Production!
This year, Disney’s Newsies, Jr will be performed for our annual production in Spring 2023.
Dates and location for our Tulsa performance are pending and will be announced soon!
Clark Youth Theatre is thrilled to announce that we will be partnering with the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center for a second year to bring The Penguin Project to Broken Arrow Public Schools!
Our BA performance will be announced soon, and will take place at the BAPAC January 13-15th, 2023!
Mentor Training for both the Tulsa and Broken Arrow productions will begin soon! Watch this page and our Facebook and Instagram for details.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is there a fee to participate in the Penguin Project?
- No. Participation is free for both Artists and Mentors.
Who is eligible to be an Artist?
- Artists are those ages 8-23 with cognitive, learning, motor, hearing and visual impairments; genetic disorders; and neurological conditions. There are no restrictions based on the level of cognitive ability, restriction of mobility, or lack of communication skills. *Artists over 23 are able to participate in the program this season if they have previously participated, or new artists over 23 are welcome pending space in the program!
Who is eligible to be a Mentor?
- Mentors are volunteers, ages 8-25, who do not have a disability. The Penguin Project utilizes a “peer mentor” system, linking each young artist with an age-level peer who does not have a disability. The peer mentors work side-by-side with their partners, assisting them through the entire rehearsal process and onstage. They are onstage during the production, costumed to match or compliment their partners.
When do rehearsals start?
Show Choice, Mentor trainings, informational meetings and rehearsal dates for our 2022-2023 productions will be announced at Penguin camp this Summer!
For more information about The Penguin Project at Clark Youth Theatre, download the information flyer(2023 information coming soon!).
About the Penguin Project® Foundation
The Penguin Project provides an opportunity for children with disabilities to develop creative skills related to the theatre arts.
Clark Youth Theatre is proud to be the first theatre in Oklahoma to produce The Penguin Project, conceived by Dr. Andrew Morgan, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. Since 2004, The Penguin Project has produced one musical theatre production each year at Eastlight Theatre in East Peoria, IL.
Goals of The Penguin Project:
- To provide an opportunity for children with special needs to develop creative skills related to the theatre arts.
- To provide an opportunity for children with special needs to participate in a community theatre experience.
- To facilitate interaction between children with special needs and their age-level peers through joint participation in a community theatre experience.
- To facilitate an appreciation of the challenges faced by children with special needs and their families.
- To identify the impact of a community theatre experience on the communication skills, socialization, and self-confidence/self-esteem of children with special needs.
- To facilitate interaction among medical, developmental, educational, and theatre professionals through participation in a common community project.
- To provide a forum for support and interaction for families of children with special needs
You can find more information about The Penguin Project® Foundation here.
