Winter 2021 School Catalog DigitalVersion Final - Flipbook - Page 14
community partners
One of PAR’s core values is to give back to the community, and we have a dedicated
staff of employees who provide financial support and volunteer their time and talents
to a variety of causes around the Tampa Bay region.
O
ne of those employees is Alicia
Carrillo, a research assistant in PAR’s
Research and Development department. Alicia is one of the founding members of Theatre eXceptional, a professional
theatre company based in Largo, Florida,
that is for, about, and includes adults with
disabilities.
“We are not a disability theatre,” Alicia
explained. “We recruit adults with
disabilities and provide them with
a professional experience. We give
them the tools to develop their art.”
When a friend of a friend introduced her to
a new theatre company for adults with disabilities in 2015, she jumped at the opportunity to take part. “It was a way for me to
get back into the arts,” she said. “I told them
I’d love to be involved in any way I can.”
Alicia performs with the group and teaches
theatre classes. She says one of the benefits
is seeing how much the students grow
over time. “Some go from being too shy to
participate in our Theatre 101 class to starring
in our summer musical the next year. They
teach us as much as we teach them.”
Theatre eXceptional is a privately funded,
501c3 nonprofit organization. Learn
more about the mission, upcoming
performances, and donation information at
bluebutterflyproductions.org
Alicia Carrillo, PAR Research Assistant
In addition to holding several productions
a year, Theatre eXceptional also runs
a series of acting and music classes.
Alicia’s younger brother is on the autism
spectrum, so she has had a connection
to people with disabilities for most
of her life. She became interested in
theatre in middle school and attended
a performing arts high school. However,
her focus in college was psychology.
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Community PARtners
Creating Connections. Changing Lives.