'How to Dance in Ohio' is going to make me a better parent, person & blogger

by Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog

This past Friday, I was fortunate enough to see the new Broadway musical, How to Dance in Ohio. Between the groundbreaking storytelling and representation, to the wonderful performance of its cast, It’s a show that, for many reasons, I will remember for the rest of my life.

For those who don’t know, the musical centers on seven autistic teens and young adults preparing for a spring formal dance while facing life's challenges in and out of a counseling center in Columbus, OH. The show is making history as seven actors on the spectrum play the autistic characters — and all are making their Broadway debuts.

I said this on Twitter, but if there was any show that deserves to be the first to win a Tony Award for Best Ensemble, it should be this one. Every member of the show gets their moments to shine, to cook, to break out hearts and to lift us up. It’s breathtaking to see live.

But why this show is so impactful on me and why I’ll remember it for the rest of my life, is because it’s going to change the way I write, communication and interact with autistic people, and being a father to my son, Sam.

Sam is nine-years-old. He’s an energetic, loving kid who spends his time playing with his stuffed animals and learning everything he can about their species. Sam is also what is known was “twice-exceptional”.

The term “twice exceptional” or “2e” refers to intellectually gifted children who have one or more learning disabilities such as dyslexia, ADHD, or autism spectrum disorder. Sam’s unique abilities and characteristics, he needs a special combination of education programs and counseling support. And thankfully, he’s getting it and it’s helped a lot.

But I haven’t been the best father when it comes to supporting the ways I need to. I try but I know I’ve failed many times. There have been times of frustration on my part, because I’m not always sure what I should be doing and also how my actions affect him.

How to Dance in Ohio is going to help with all of that.

Without spoiling anything in the show, there are moments between the youths and their parents, many of which feel like moments I’ve had in my own household that I didn’t even recognize. But this show does such a good job of not only showing parental mistakes but also how to improve. There’s no “villain” in the show, but the antagonist is ignorance and the refusal to truly listen to the autistic community and their needs.

As a father, I need to do a better job with all of that.

On Twitter I said that seeing this show “will make you a better person”. Some may not agree with that and that’s fine, I really hope it does though. I’m so glad I got to see this show, I’m so glad I was in that theatre with that audience that was so appreciative of what they were experiencing as well. I was sitting in front of a family who had a teenager who was on the spectrum, and it looked like they were having the time of their life. I love seeing people who are seeing themselves onstage, even as a blogger myself(wink emoji).

I also hope that this show will kick open the door for more autistic stories and representation for Broadway and beyond. We may not see the results of the ripple effect that this show is creating immediately, but it’s changing the tide.

So please please please, if you can, go see this show. To all the tourists coming to the city and not sure what show to spend valued dollars on - spend them on this. To my fellow theatre peeps- this is the type of show we’ve been clamoring for.

And to the cast and crew of How to Dance in Ohio, thank you.