‘How to Dance in Ohio,’ groundbreaking play with autistic cast, ends Syracuse run because of Covid
SYRACUSE, NY – ‘How to Dance in Ohio’ has canceled the remainder of its world premiere on the Syracuse Stage as a wave of Covid-19 continues to spread among the cast and crew.
The groundbreaking show, which features a core cast of autistic actors, opened September 21 to rave reviews. Even on a rainy midweek evening, there was a standing ovation.
“Even with underwriters and constant attempts by the production team to find a way forward, we are left with no viable options to proceed,” Syracuse Stage executive director Jill Anderson said in an email. “We deeply apologize for the inconvenience and disappointment this news brings to the ‘Ohio’ team and patrons.”
The show has had several underwriters and adhered strictly to the Actors Equity Association’s Covid protocols, but the number of cases still rose to a point that made it impossible to continue.
Onondaga County is currently experiencing high levels of Covid-19; The CDC recommends wearing masks inside.
The show has been conducting regular testing and implementing strict Covid-19 protocols, said Joanna Lynn Penalva, a Syracuse Stage spokeswoman.
The show’s problems began on Saturday night when the audience was told 25 minutes into the play that there would be no show. One of the actors had suddenly fallen ill. Syracuse Stage later canceled the rest of the weekend shows but hoped production would start again today.
Even with its truncated runtime, the show had a buzz that had Syracuse audiences swooning and connections that could take it far beyond central New York. The coming-of-age musical accompanies seven autistic young people on their way through the big world and their relationships with each other. The play is based on an HBO documentary of the same name about a group of young people and their therapist, Dr. Emilio Amigo. Amigo comes up with the idea that the teenagers will have their own prom.
Syracuse.com review Linda Lowen called it “the musical you’ll be talking about for the rest of your life.” The musical was so good that she came back to see it a second time with her husband, which she rarely does.
Producers include Ben Holtzman and Sammy Lopez who are part of P3 Productions along with Fiona Howe Rudin. The partnership produced The Kite Runner and A Strange Loop, which won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Tony Award-winner Wilson Jermaine Heredia plays Amigo, the doctor who works with the young people and hatches the idea for a prom.
The actors in the cast said working together on the show was like nothing they’d ever experienced. Off the stage, they had a new community of people who hit it off without worries of social awkwardness or missed leads. They called themselves “Spectrum Club Seven”.
They celebrated their differences and it spread. A cast member brought her son, who is on Spectrum, to see the show.
He then gushed to his mother about how great it was to see someone like him on stage. “I didn’t know people could do a musical about what’s going on in my head,” he told his mother. The cast broke down in tears as they discussed the boy’s reaction.
Syracuse Stage will automatically refund anyone who had tickets for the remaining shows.
The theater will continue with its plans for live theater going forward, said artistic director Bob Hupp. The Cold Read Festival of New Plays begins October 18th.
“We are heartbroken by this turn of events, which prevents us from welcoming patrons to our final weeks of performance for How to Dance in Ohio,” said Hupp. “We thank everyone who has joined us for this world premiere and look forward to seeing what lies in store for this extraordinary production that has begun here in Syracuse.”
Marnie Eisenstadt writes about people, public affairs and the Syracuse City School District. Contact them anytime E-mail | Twitter| Facebook | 315-470-2246