The Red Kite Project
For the most up-to-date information on every Red Kite development, visit the new website www.theredkiteproject.org.
The Red Kite Project at Chicago Children's Theatre creates multi-sensory, interactive theatre programming tailored specifically to the needs and interests of children on the autism spectrum.
Autism Spectrum Disorder has three defining features, which will generally exhibit before age three:
A lack of social and emotional reciprocity
A delay or total absence of spoken language
Restrictive repetitive patterns of behavior
The combination of these challenges makes experiencing traditional theatre a distinct difficulty for children on the spectrum. Unlike more traditional theatre, Red Kite downplays the use of spoken language and emphasizes a series of sensory experiences rather than the progression of a plot.
Performance Installations
Premiering in January 2010, we will present Red Kite Round Up, an immersive, simulated camping experience. The production will take place inside Millennium Park's famed Jay Pritzker Pavilion Choral Rehearsal Room, and is projected to reach more than one thousand children.
The inaugural production of Red Kite/Blue Moon in Spring of 2008, the result of a seven-month collaboration with Oily Cart of London, allowed seven children at a time to attend a journey to the moon and back while experiencing personal interaction with the cast and set installation.
Camp Red Kite
Camp Red Kite, a day camp for children on the autism spectrum, debuted in July of 2009. Camp Red Kite offered classes in Drama, Music and Movement, and Arts and crafts taught in tandem by arts professionals and special educators. The Camp curriculum tapped into strategies to ensure a high comfort level for all campers, including a consistent schedule displayed pictorially in each room. Every child was able to engage in his or her own way, without expectation or judgment.
Professional Development For Educators
With our partner, Polk Bros Foundation, The Red Kite Project holds Professional Development Workshops for educators hoping to learn how to integrate drama into their autism curriculum. These workshops bring together education and inclusion specialists with theatre practitioners to create a truly integrative and informative week. Attending a workshop begins a year-long relationship with Chicago Children's Theatre that includes classroom visits, field trips, and open dialogue about the challenges facing these unique students.