Penguin Project at Mon River Arts to stage ‘Annie Jr.’ at Grand Theatre

By the MVI
Mon River Arts will put on a production this week unlike anything it has ever done before.
“Annie Jr.” will be performed at the Grand Theatre, 207 S. Second Ave., Elizabeth at 7 p.m. tonight, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Once a year, The Penguin Project showcases a magical and touching celebration of the human spirit at various theaters across the country.
Children in The Penguin Project take the stage to perform a modified version of a well-known Broadway musical.
Each production is unique, with all the roles filled by young artists with developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, visual impairment, hearing impairment and other neurological disorders.
Mon River Arts was chosen earlier this year as a newly established replication site for the Penguin Project.
The Penguin Project at Mon River Arts’ production of “Annie, Jr.” features are actors ages 10-21 with special needs.
They are joined by peer mentors, children of the same age who are dressed in similar costume, and serve as helpers during the show but stay in the background.

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