TAMPA, Fla. — There’s a theater inside University Mall that’s making dreams come true for kids and adults within the special needs community.
It’s a part of New Tampa Players called Uptown Stage, and once a year they put on a Broadway show. The program is called the Penguin Project.
Director Nora Paine was the first person to bring the Penguin Project to Florida, matching up children and adults in the special needs community with peer mentors to put on one inspirational show.
“So we will have 50 young artists on stage for the show, and each of them will have a peer mentor," Paine said. "And the peer mentor is responsible for helping them learn their choreography, their lines, their blocking, knowing where they are supposed to go when they are supposed to be there."
Peer mentor Catalena Palomino said what started out as a mentorship quickly turned into a friendship for her and her young artist Thalia.
“They really are such wonderful people, and everyone here has the biggest heart and are the most genuine people I’ve ever met in my life,” Palomino said. “They kind of just taught me to always have that joy that they all have here and just kind of share it with everyone.”
For Thalia, the feeling is mutual.
"She’s the greatest person I ever met, and so you’ll always be a part of my life," Thalia said.
The skill sets developed on stage carry on with these actors into their daily lives.
“Trying new things at school like clubs or sports, it’s really a confidence boost for me,” Jaden Figueroa said. Figueroa started off as a young artist and is now a mentor.
The Penguin Project's next show will be Beauty and the Beast in April.
“Watching everybody bond together and everybody have success in what they are doing means so much to these kids and so much to their parents and so much to me,” Paine said.
The Penguin Project is always accepting applications for new mentors. Paine said acting experience isn’t required, but love is.
“A lot of patience, a lot of heart, a lot of love, and a lot of magic, it’s all just magic,” she continued.
For more information on The Penguin Project and Uptown Stage, go to their website.
