Gen Z: This one’s for you!
We celebrated our 2nd annual Celebration with the Arts event with an incredible performance of the High School Musical trilogy by our Community Day Program clients.
Our Celebration of the Arts event brought the Helping Hand community together – including team members, families, and community members. Though the musical was the main production, we also sold art pieces that clients made and had employment seekers staff the concession stands.
Our clients brought the biggest hits from each High School Musical movie like:
- “Breaking Free”
- “We’re All in This Together”
- “Bet on it”
- “All for One”
- “Can I Have This Dance”
and SO much more!
What started as a passion for Dania Dudley, adult program DSP and director of the musical, turned into an annual event with over 250 people in attendance.
Dania shared, “I started doing musicals because I’ve always had a deep love for theater. In high school, I participated here and there, but I never fully stepped into it, and I definitely never saw myself in a leadership role. Being able to lead now has been such a full-circle moment for me. I love being in a leadership position because it allows me to bring a vision to life in a way that feels intentional, while also making space to listen to others.”
By bringing her vision to life, she has given clients the opportunity to be themselves in the spotlight. Joe A., playing Troy Bolton, explained that he loves “being in the spotlight and having fun with his friends.”
While many of the other performers explain that they did the musical because they love being with their friends and performing, others truly enjoy being able to wear costumes and bring their characters to life through dancing and singing!
When asked what it means for Dania to do the musical, she explained, “What makes it even more meaningful is where I get to do it. I could have pursued theater anywhere but doing it here means everything to me because I genuinely love my job. I love working with individuals with disabilities and being part of something that makes a real difference in their lives.”
She then shared, “As a mom of a daughter with autism, I have always hoped that wherever she goes, she will have people around her who care for her deeply outside of our home. That perspective shapes how I show up for our clients every single day. I pour into them the way I hope someone pours into her. I truly believe what you put out into the world comes back to you, and being able to create these musicals with them is more than a production. It is purpose.”
We are looking forward to what Dania and the crew will bring to our Celebration of the Arts production for 2027, but until then, we have many other events you can attend by clicking here.
We couldn’t have brought the musical together without the support of our sponsors:
- Ryan Companies
- Pearl Healthcare
- Nyco
- AlphaGraphics
- Today’s Business Solutions
- Linklater Legacy Fund
- Catherine’s Community Closet
- The Kaz Family
- Cyril and Joan Chrabot
We are so grateful to the cast, crew, volunteers, and attendees that made this event an incredible success!
