For the third summer, the Lamar University Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences in partnership with

Beaumont Community Players is hosting InterACT, a program that allows children with atypical language and social development to take part in a theatrical production.

“InterACT was derived from the idea that theater and acting promote social interaction and perspective taking skills,” said Karen Saar, clinical supervisor, instructor and head of Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Services at Lamar University. “We run this inclusion group for children of all ability levels. Several children are diagnosed with autism, Down syndrome or other primary diagnoses which affect their development. In our program you see kids begin to put themselves in other people’s shoes through acting, through being given a space to play and pretend.”

Lamar University’s Speech Language Pathology Department is one of very few in the field creating and utilizing a connection with a local arts organization. Monica Harn, professor and chair of the Diane H. Shaver Speech and Hearing Sciences Department, and a creator of InterACT, said oftentimes healthcare looks for intradisciplinary partnerships and doesn’t consider collaborations with the arts.

“We have done a literature search to see if work is being produced over collaborative partnerships between arts communities and clinicians,” said Harn. “We found that it is very rare. The arts offer so many opportunities which can lead to effective changes in the lives of kids facing these challenges.”

 The collaboration also allows speech-language pathology students to obtain clinical hours needed for their degree plans. Mary-Caroline Trevino and Alayna Magnuson, graduate students working toward their Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology at Lamar University, said they chose to work with InterACT for their clinical hours.

The LU students work one-on-one with the actors and enjoy working in a nonclinical setting. “This program puts you in a different situation than you would encounter in the four walls of a clinic room,” Trevino said. “It feels more real, and it is also rewarding to empower the kids and give back to the community.”

This year’s play, “Box” by Lindsey Price, is about the labels that people place on each other.

“At its heart, the play is about surpassing expectations,” said John Manfredi, director of InterACT and executive director at BCP. “That is why we chose it.”

Manfredi said each year, the InterACT participants achieve more than anyone ever thought they could, including their parents.

“One camper was really in his shell, but the moment I put the stage lights on, he blossomed and began to participate in everything,” Manfredi said. “Another would not say a word at the beginning of the summer and by the end was a soloist.”

Each day of InterACT brings surprises. Manfredi says he really enjoys seeing positive changes in many of the kids every day and that’s why he has made the program a priority each summer since he started at BCP in 2017.

“It has always been something really important to me because we teach different ways to communicate both emotionally and verbally,” said Manfredi. “These kids also know they are in a safe space where they can express themselves. Many of the kids in our program have spent a large portion of their lives being told not to daydream, not to be themselves. In the theater it is okay to be loud, it is okay to pretend, it is okay to use your imagination.”

Harn says the program is so successful that she hopes other arts programs will allow LU to form future partnerships. “I think a fun thing in our department is all the faculty seek out innovative things that are not being done in other areas to capitalize on the connections we have here in Beaumont,” said Harn.

"The Box" will be performed July 19 and 20 at The Betty Greenberg Center for the Performing Arts.