Sun-Sentinel: Write-minded

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Write-minded

By Ivette M. Yee

Staff Writer

November 19, 2004

It's not easy being . A mailman in his mid-30s who lives with his sister,

he has just been fired from his job.

is autistic and the fictional subject of a play of the same name written

by Kate Reynolds, 16, of Delray Beach, the top winner among three in the 2004

VSA arts Playwright Discovery Program.

The contest was open to all high school students who submitted one-act plays

that included some aspect of disability. Sponsored by the Kravis Center for the

Performing Arts and VSA arts of Florida-Palm Beach County, an organization that

promotes education and creative expression among children and adults with

disabilities, the winning plays were performed recently by professional actors

at the Kravis Center.

Other student plays selected were written by Sofie Tamayo, 17, of Lake Worth, a

student at the private Elles School, and Casey Hopkins, 15, of Palm Beach

Gardens, a student at the W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of the Arts.

VSA arts officials said the contest, now in its fourth year, promotes awareness

about disabilities among young people. This year's crop of playwrights explored

topics including mental illness and deafness.

" I was really trying to write a story that wasn't depressing, but uplifting, "

said Reynolds, an 11th-grader at Dreyfoos. " I wanted to write a story about a

person living with a disability and how they are able to function in society. "

Reynolds said her goal was to create a different view of autism than the

memorable performance by Hoffman in the film Rain Man. Hoffman's

character, , was a child-like man with a brilliant mind, but wasn't

self-sufficient.

In , the main character is more capable, Reynolds said. He is fascinated

with literature, memorizes whole books and quotes phrases from Alice in the

Wonderland. But his disability makes it hard for him to socialize.

The play looks at what happens when a prejudiced new boss fires from his

job, and how he copes with the loss.

" is quirky and he's real, " Reynolds said. " You automatically sympathize

with him. "

To write the play, she researched information about autism and spoke with the

ARC of Palm Beach, an organization that provides services to people with

developmental and mental disabilities. She also spent time with a member of her

church whose son has autism.

" I was really tickled at how she was able to portray this character and how she

made the play entertaining and educational at the same time, " said Alison

Reynolds, Kate's mom.

She has kept her daughter's earliest creative writings, including Garbage Can, a

story written in second grade about a puppy and a raccoon stuck in a garbage

can.

An avid reader, Kate Reynolds said she began writing at a young age because she

was inspired by the Harriet the Spy children's books.

" I wanted to be Harriet the Spy when I was 8, " she said. " I tried the whole

spying thing around my neighborhood. It didn't work out, but I kept the journal

and kept observing and writing things down. "

Gilbert, an author and the Kravis Center's professional playwright in

residence, praised Reynolds' work. " Kate's play is very well done, " Gilbert

said. " She was successful at creating a play in which the character is very

likable. It has a lot of humor in it and is never preachy. "

As part of the Playwright Discovery Program, Gilbert instructed high school

teachers in playwriting so they could teach their students for the contest.

More than 50 Palm Beach County high school students participated. Gilbert also

helped both select the winning plays and the young playwrights polish their

work.

The winners will be submitted to the national contest for a chance to be

performed next year at The F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in

Washington, D.C.

Reynolds said she already feels rewarded because she succeeded in showing just

how capable people with disabilities are.

" People with autism have a wide range of capabilities, " Reynolds said. " My

character can hold a job and he is very high functioning. He proves that the

disability doesn't necessarily define the person. "

Ivette M. Yee can be reached at imyee@... or .

Copyright © 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel