As soon as the curtain closed on their production of “Guys and Dolls,” actor Danny Anderson knew he’d be working with My Turn Theater in some capacity.
My Turn Theater gives actors with physical or intellectual disabilities opportunities to take the stage. Before there was My Turn Theater, there was Out of the Shadows Theater, both founded by actor Wendy Carroll.
Carroll founded Out of the Shadows (now called CDA ACT) in Coeur d’Alene in 2016. The group’s first production was “Beauty and the Beast Jr.” followed by “Fiddler on the Roof Jr.,” “Mary Poppins Jr.” and “The Music Man Jr.” After a pause due to the pandemic, Out of the Shadows returned with “Bye Bye Birdie.”
The company was under new management for that and subsequent shows, including the upcoming “Singin’ in the Rain Jr.,” after Carroll moved to Spokane in 2021. Here, she created My Turn Theater. The theater launched with “Guys and Dolls Jr.” Anderson recalls thinking the performance was moving.
“I tell everyone, ‘Come see this show. Your heart will grow five sizes,’ ” he said.
Anderson spoke to someone with My Turn Theater after production and expressed interest in volunteering for the next show.
When the company set to work on “Beauty and the Beast Jr.,” Anderson became a shadow actor, or someone who stands behind actors who may need assistance with their lines or blocking.
“As a device it sounds kind of clunky, but it works so well,” Anderson said. “You’re so focused on them, you don’t really notice.”
After realizing there wasn’t a production in 2024, Anderson reached out to Carroll and learned she had moved to California. She asked Anderson if he would be interested in taking over as artistic director and, though he said he experienced imposter syndrome about heading a nonprofit, Anderson agreed.
“It fills this niche that’s clearly needed,” he said. “And then why wouldn’t we? It’s so fulfilling. It’s fulfilling, of course, for the actors, the family of the actors, the volunteers working with them. It’s all around such a positive experience.”
His tenure as artistic director begins with a production of “The Lion King Jr.” which runs Saturday through Aug. 10 at Spokane Civic Theatre.
The musical features a book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi that’s based on the Disney film of the same name. The musical features songs from the film, which were written by Elton John and Tim Rice, as well as new songs by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Tsidii Le Loka, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer.
The musical opens with Rafiki (Michelle Wheeler, who is shadowed by Hannah Jones) presenting Simba (Iris Bealer, who is shadowed by Dawn Taylor Reinhardt), the newborn son of King Mufasa (Collin Fossell, shadowed by Patrick McHenry-Kroetch) and Queen Sarabi.
Away from the celebration, Mufasa’s brother Scar (Brian Pearson, shadowed by Jessica Rempel) is upset he is no longer next in line to the throne.
As he grows, Simba is eager to explore the Pride Lands. One day while visiting Scar, Simba hears of the elephant graveyard, a place he’s forbidden to go. Even still, the cub convinces his best friend Nala (Hannah Burgan, shadowed by Jones) to visit the graveyard, accompanied by Zazu (Genny Normile, shadowed by Lizzie Kitzig), his father’s advisor, though the pair eventually escape the bird’s watch.
Mufasa finds out the cubs are in the graveyard and comes to their rescue just as they’re confronted by three hyenas. Mufasa is disappointed in Simba and tells him of the great kings who have come before, though Zazu later reminds Mufasa that he could be a bit of a troublemaker when he was Simba’s age.
Scar, meanwhile, is telling the hyenas he plans to take the throne by killing Mufasa and Simba. With the hyenas’ help, Scar traps Simba in the middle of a wildebeest stampede and tells Mufasa that Simba is in trouble.
Mufasa gets Simba to safety, but Scar ensures Mufasa doesn’t make it out alive. Scar convinces Simba his dad’s death was his fault and tells him to flee.
As Simba grows up with his new friends Timon (Robin DeWolf, shadowed by Thomas Heppler) and Pumbaa (Adam “AJ” Moore, shadowed by Heppler), things sour in the Pride Lands under Scar’s rule.
The cast includes Brittany Howard, Micaela Ascolese, Tatiana “Tati” Axthelm, Abigail Donnelly, Lilian “Lily” Hanson, Isaac Hatcher, Joshua Johnson, Lauren “LTrain” Jones, Caitlin McGilliard, Addy Mercer, Allison Moore, Kyrie Patzer, Willow Phillips, Diamana Sofia, Rissa Still, Coen Tucker, Patrick Ward, Kiki Sypher, Evan Hannah and Peyton Pearce.
The musical is directed by Heather McHenry-Kroetch and Lisa Edwards, music directed by Melissa Gren, Beth Rainey and Jennifer Hardy, and choreographed by Clara Buck. Taralena Creations, the duo of Lena Cooley and Tara Micksch, created the costumes and paper mache masks, which the team helped paint.
Anderson stresses though this is a “junior” production, which is often associated with children’s theater, all the actors with My Turn Theater are adults who have put in hard work.
“We’re trying to give them the experience that any Civic Theatre show would have, or any main stage show …” he said. “We’re not screwing around at rehearsal. It’s real theater, and I think they really connect to that and are able to dig a little deeper.”
One show a year is the most sustainable option for My Turn Theater, though Anderson hopes to add smaller events, like classes or group outings to the Broadway tours that stop in Spokane.
The theater is almost entirely volunteer-run, including Anderson’s work as artistic director. He’s hoping to get more eyes on the nonprofit and has enlisted Adam Harum to film a documentary about My Turn Theater and the actors in “The Lion King Jr.”
Harum is capturing rehearsal footage and also interviews with the performers and footage of Anderson meeting with the actors at their day jobs or on outings to promote the show.
“The dream would be to sell it to put the spotlight on this group and have theaters like this in every city across the country,” he said. “I’m surprised there’s not more and we want to build a lot more.”
If You Go
‘The Lion King Jr.’
When: Saturday through Aug. 10. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Thursday and Aug. 8. 2 p.m. Sundays and Aug. 9
Where: Spokane Civic Theatre, 1020 N. Howard St.
Cost: By donation at the door.
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Article by Azaria Podplesky
Photos by Marlee Melinda Andrews