“How to Dance in Ohio” might not have loved the blockbuster Broadway run its creators may need hoped for, however actor Caesar Samayoa believes the musical’s influence shall be felt inside New York’s theater trade for years to return.
“After the pandemic, accessibility and representation moved to the forefront of this industry, and this show is walking the walk,” Samayoa advised HuffPost. “We’re going into a divisive year, and I think a lot of people are nervous about what’s to come. We need to be uplifted by human stories at this point. At our core, I think we all want to help each other move forward in life, and that’s the message of this story.”
Based on the 2015 HBO documentary of the identical title, “How to Dance in Ohio” opened at New York’s Belasco Theatre in December. The present tells the story of Dr. Emilio Amigo (performed by Samayoa), a scientific psychologist who runs a counseling middle for younger autistic individuals within the Buckeye State.
To encourage his purchasers to take their subsequent steps towards independence and social engagement, Dr. Amigo decides to plan a proper spring dance. Unforeseen challenges ensue, nonetheless, when the occasion is thrust into the media highlight.
“How to Dance in Ohio” boasts an infectious pop-rock rating by Rebekah Greer Melocik and Jacob Yandura that’s been in contrast favorably to the scores of Tony winners like “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Kimberly Akimbo.” Much of the excitement on the present, nonetheless, has emphasised its groundbreaking solid. The seven autistic characters are performed by actors Desmond Luis Edwards, Amelia Fei, Madison Kopec, Liam Pearce, Imani Russell, Conor Tague and Ashley Wool, every of whom is on the autism spectrum in actual life.
“We have a habit of having neurodivergent characters in a story to be the ones who aren’t communicating,” Samayoa stated. “But it was a conscious decision that, in our show, the neurotypical character is the one who doesn’t understand the situation. Nobody’s perfect, whether you’re a doctor or not. We wanted to focus on autistic joy.”
A New York native, Samayoa is finest identified for his breakout efficiency within the smash 2017 musical “Come From Away.” In truth, he was nonetheless showing in “Come From Away” when he was approached by Greer Melocik to participate in early studying of “How to Dance in Ohio,” which was set to be directed by 21-time Tony winner Harold Prince.
Given his dedication to “Come From Away,” Samayoa needed to choose out of the studying. After Prince died in 2019, Broadway newcomer Sammi Cannold stepped in to direct the present. Last summer time, Samayoa appeared in Cannold’s manufacturing of “Evita” in Boston and Washington, D.C. — after which he efficiently auditioned for “How to Dance in Ohio” because it equipped for Broadway.
To put together for the function, Samayoa met with the real-life Amigo. “He said, ‘People always make fun of me because I have all these dad jokes, but when I’m working with my clients, it can be a very stressful environment. I’m always making people laugh because the minute you laugh, it’s not physically possible for you to feel stress at the same time,’” the actor recalled. “It hit me that was how I had to start approaching the character. I had to infuse the room with as much joy and humor so that we could do the real work.”
Despite principally optimistic opinions, “How to Dance in Ohio” will play its closing efficiency this Sunday ― a sufferer, some say, of the financial headwinds nonetheless affecting a lot of Broadway in its post-COVID rebound.
The present’s legacy, nonetheless, will dwell on by the use of a newly launched solid album. And whereas a Broadway run was all the time “the dream,” Samayoa is keen to see the musical produced regionally and embraced by neighborhood and highschool theater teams.
“For me, this show is the door cracking open to [autistic] representation and accessibility in the theater,” he stated. “If that leads to more stories like this, thank God, because that’s exactly why we did it.”
