Yesterday I performed at George School in PA. It is a Quaker school. The performance went very well, but I was more interested by what took place after the show. A sweet soul named Devan (sp) came up to me, visibly upset by a part in my show. She was upset by my portrayal of Tommy. Tommy is my character who speaks about his isolation from other children in his school. Tommy has Downs Syndrome. Devan was upset because she has a brother who has Downs Syndrome, and he is nothing like Tommy, but she was concerned that other students would see Tommy and think that everyone who has Downs Syndrome would act like Tommy. This caused Devan great distress. She came to me to express this frustration.

I listened to her's (and her mother's) concerns, remaining open and without defense to their pain. We had a fruitful discussion, one that ended with me reconsidering how I play Tommy. I will not do a complete make-over (I think), but certainly, I would like to make some adaptations within the monologue of Tommy. Right now as Tommy stands -- he's easy. I went for an obvious characterization of someone who has a more severe form of Downs Syndrome along with Autistic features. He is loosely based off of some kids with whom I grew up, along with a couple of Downs Syndrome kids I've come across in schools. My Tommy is not a fabrication in regards to the realness of his physicality, however, he is not a part of the large majority of today's children who have Downs. I realize that there have been vast improvements in regards to the treatment of Downs individuals. There is a sizable portion of these individuals who are mainstreamed in their classrooms, and who function well alongside their peers.

In any case, I think the greatest lesson I learned from Devan was in the healing nature of listening. Had I gotten defensive when Devan approached me, I promise you, the results would have been woeful. I knew I needed to listen and then to listen some more; she needed someone, no, she needed ME to understand and empathize with her concern. She wasn't attacking me -- or my show, for that matter, she was raising a legitimate issue, and I am thankful that I was able to listen and hear her. She walked away feeling heard.

My show's greatest changes have come through people who have challenged me not to make any character easy; at times, these voices were harsh and attacking, but I still listened to the messages within these criticisms, attempting to discern the fruit from the poison. It is not always easy. In fact, at times the changes that take place after such attacks are ones of defiance, upping the ante, if you will; pushing the envelope of discomfort even further than the original plan, typically resulting in a more dynamic performance than the previous ones.

On other occasions, I adjust my characters to another height, but in these instances, I am not fueled by the same annoyance or defiance as is true of the former case. I find myself in this second boat after my interaction with Devan, and I am happy to have the wisdom, the courage, and the serenity to discern between the two in this situation.