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Don’t you love a great story? Whether you’re sitting around the dinner table, at a party with friends, or sitting in the theatre, stories are the foundation of every memory. At The Naples Players, we’re passionate about telling stories that create lasting memories, and devoted to creating memories that make for unforgettable stories. Of course you can see our love of story on-stage in this year’s dynamic and energetic season – with stories that range from daring and gritty to thoughtful and endearing – but you might be surprised to learn that our favorite stories of the year won’t be seen on the stage, but experienced in initiatives throughout the theatre. We can’t wait to hear of the memories that come BRYCE ALEXANDER, Artistic Director from the introduction of our new Sensory Friendly performance series – special performances of our productions of Miracle on 34th Street and The Music Man that will be tailored to families impacted by autism, Down syndrome, and other sensory processing disorders. For many families, this will be the first opportunity to attend a cultural event as a complete family. We’ve already heard of the incredible impact of our Sensory Friendly initiative in the classroom. Our KidzAct and Adult Education programs feature a low sensory classroom; sensory safe zones within the classroom; high teacher to student ratios; and a tailored curriculum to help teach body awareness, emotional response, communication, and creativity through improvisation that have come together to allow students of all ages and abilities to access the arts. We continue to love the stories that are written every year during our collaboration with Young Audiences of Southwest Florida. Students from East Naples and Immokalee Middle School will be given workshops on directing, writing, acting, stage combat, costuming, lighting, and scenery throughout the year culminating in their own original works performed in Blackburn Hall at The Naples Players. The students’ participation is empowering the youth of our community to think critically, empathetically, and creatively; and allowing their parents to see the world of their students through a new lens. This spring, join us outside on our Baker Stage for free performances of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. Then stay after the performance to participate in a workshop based on anti-bullying and violence prevention, using the performance as a tool for analyzing gender roles, types of bullying and violence, and becoming an “upstander” for our community. We hope to bring these performances and workshops directly into local schools, working with each school to target the resources and messaging needed to directly impact that school’s culture. Our Vision for 2018 8 Our Vision for 2018


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