Disabled to Perform ‘The Pajama Game’

Developmentally disabled teens and adults will perform the musical comedy “The Pajama Game” tonight, concluding the seventh season of a theatrical program conducted by the city of Anaheim’s Therapeutic Recreation Center.

“They’re very special people and they work so hard at this,” said recreation therapist Conni Van Billiard, who is co-directing the public performance with Katie DeGraffenreid. “They have a great time, it’s always a new and exciting experience.”

Van Billiard said the 20 cast members are high-functioning individuals who have Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or other medical conditions. Usually the hardest task for the actors is delivering complicated dialogue, she said, so the musical’s lines have been simplified accordingly.

“The story is all there and the songs are all there,” Van Billiard said. “We focus on the things they can do, the parts they’re good at. They’re really good at choreography, they just love it.”

It has taken about 12 weeks for the Therapeutic Recreation Center to mount this production, pointed out Van Billiard, who said that no one is turned away who wants to participate.

The result, she said, is that the actors develop their verbal and motor skills and enhance their self-confidence by performing in front of an audience.

“The Pajama Game” will be performed at 7 p.m. in the Western High School auditorium, 501 S. Western Ave. in Anaheim. Admission is free; however, donations are requested to help support the therapeutic recreation program.

Information: (714) 821-6510.