An inclusive musical theatre group has cast a Gimli man with autism in its upcoming spring production, and is fundraising through gift card purchases (deadline Nov. 28) to help support the musical extravaganza.
Aim 4 All teaches teens and adults with and without intellectual and physical disabilities how to sing, dance and act, and offers them a chance to perform.
Gimli resident Alec Baldwin, who has autism, joined the Aim 4 All training program this fall and will be performing in its Disney’s Dare to Dream Jr. musical production in the spring.
Baldwin is no stranger to musical performance. He plays piano, has performed in festivals and most recently sung to great acclaim the national anthems at Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose hockey games.
Baldwin’s mom, Tanis Benson, said Alec trains in Winnipeg every Sunday for three hours with the troupe, and has already memorized some songs. He was invited to perform at an Inclusion Winnipeg board meeting this month. He was also one the performers singing the song Be Our Guest (from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast) at a dance showcase this month.
“The Aim 4 All program involves a lot of training in singing, dancing and acting. They’re teaching people who haven’t had singling lessons like Alec has,” said Benson. “Alec has had that musical training and singing experience, and he’s so good at projecting his voice and memorizing songs.”
Winnipeg-based Aim 4 All was founded by Brenda Gorlick, who has a background in ballet, musical theatre and theatrical and operatic productions, Laura Kolisnyk, who is a choreographer, director and educator, and Lois Brothers, who has over two decades of experience in the Winnipeg film industry.
The organization works in conjunction with the Manitoba Down Syndrome Society. Its students include neurotypical individuals, neurodivergent individuals (people with autism and Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities) and people with physical disabilities.
After a week-long pilot project in the spring, the three founders offered a full run of musical theatre training, from Sept 14 to May 10.
While singing is Baldwin’s specialty, he is working hard on mastering the dance routines.
“The choreography for the dancing is probably the most challenging for Alec,” said Benson. “But he’s practicing at home and he’s doing well with it.”
Aim 4 All is currently raising money to cover the costs of its springtime musical production. The show is a 60-minute musical review that follows a group of trainees on their first day at a fictional Walt Disney studio.
“They took different Disney songs and made it into a Broadway-type show. There’s acting, dancing and singing and parts of songs included in the production. It’s all mixed together in a fun way,” said Benson. “They’re raising money for production costs.”
People who want to support the upcoming musical can visit the Aim 4 All website where they can purchase a gift card(s) from over 150 merchants. Aim 4 All partnered with FundScrip, a Canadian-based gift card company.
The deadline to purchase a gift card(s) is this Friday, Nov. 28.
Benson said she herself bought gift cards through Aim 4 All’s website so that she can support the production and also shop at merchants such as Sobeys and Superstore and gas stations where she would normally shop.
“People who buy the gift cards are getting the total amount of the gift card they buy,” she said, “and Aim 4 All gets a percentage of the sales.”
Aim 4 All’s Disney’s Dare to Dream Jr. will be held at the Asper Centre for Theatre and Film from May 6-10.
To purchase gift cards, visit Aim 4 All’s website aim4all.ca and click on fundraising.
