As someone who has self-diagnosed autism, I felt incredibly seen by this show. How To Dance In Ohio shows that autism looks different for everyone who has it. How To Dance In Ohio is based on the documentary with the same name that centers on autistic young adults preparing for a formal dance that their counselor hosts in order to help them further their social skills.
I really related to the musical and not just because I used to attend a social skills group just like the 7 autistic characters in the show. Just like Drew, I’ve often put pressure on myself to succeed academically, especially because I feel the need to overcompensate due to my neurodivergence. Just like Marideth, I often get nervous in social situations and I enjoy dedicating my time to learning things about my special interest. Just Like Mel, I feel like people sometimes misconstrue what I say or do. Just like Tommy, I have trouble making facial expressions and struggle to have big reactions to things that I don’t particularly care about. I saw bits of myself in each of the autistic characters and the show really validated my experience of how I see the world.
It was nice to see how much work went into ensuring that the show was friendly to neurodivergent audience members. Inside the Belasco, there were two sensory areas set up, one by the bathrooms and one in the lobby of the mezzanine. These areas acted as cool down spaces, where guests could go and take a break throughout the show. On top of this, the actors came out at the top of the show to explain a bit about what the show entails, so everyone can know what to expect. A link to the sensory guide that is on the website could be found inside the Playbills as well. Relaxed performances aren’t done very often on Broadway, so it is comforting to see that this show adopted many things that you might see at a relaxed performance. I liked that audience members could react to the show freely and without judgment. It just makes sense that a show which discusses autism creates a safe space for neurodivergent people too.
The lighting and scenic design was eye-catching. At the beginning of the show a projection of snow could be seen in the background, disappearing right before it fell to the ground. Letters in front of this spelled out “How To Dance In Ohio”. These letters became jumbled up after the first scene, which I believe is intended to represent the fact that autistic people often view the world differently than neurotypical people, and they are constantly trying to interpret a world that is built for neurotypical people. I thought it was beautiful how the lights flashed when Drew says, “you rewired my circuitry,” sort of representative of the fact that he is anxious, but also in love.
It’s incredibly healing to watch these 7 autistic adults learn to navigate the world around them and grapple with the fact that others may never understand their differences. Meanwhile, their parents and Doctor Amigo must do the same, whilst learning when it’s time to take a step back and let them be independent. In a way Doctor Amigo is still learning to navigate his own life after the divorce with his wife and the fact that his daughter no longer wants to be a dancer. This is a key part in the story because it decreases Doctor Amigo’s savior complex, showing that he is a flawed person who is a lot more similar to the autistic adults than one might assume.
The story was perfectly nuanced. It had just enough side plots to display that each character had vastly different personalities and each character was dealing with a different situation. This is especially important because if the show had made each character extremely similar it would not only be an uninteresting show, but also a one-sided portrayal of autism.
The show’s music is reminiscent of a lot of contemporary musical theatre scores, but something about this score was particularly soothing. Liam Pearce’s (who portrays Drew) voice is magical and compliments the score perfectly.
I must comment on Imani Russell’s performance as well. Their interpretation of Mel really stood out to me. In one of the scenes where they were working at the pet shop, they were able to encapsulate what it was like to have this sort of mental block and feeling like nobody understands it. It was heartbreaking to watch them cry with built up frustration and anxiety. They played this situation in such a realistic way that their feelings were palpable. There have been so many times where I’ve been in that same situation and you feel helpless and like even if you try to explain yourself it's impossible to make someone understand.
There are plenty of things that make How To Dance In Ohio similar to many Broadway shows you’ve seen before, but How To Dance In Ohio isn’t your typical Broadway show simply because of its representation. I never thought a show like this could exist in such a commercial space, therefore it’s defying the boundaries of Broadway. Not only is there autistic representation, but there is representation for POC, and representation for transgender/non-binary people. Having intersectional representation gives all kinds of people a chance to relate to this piece and feel like their story matters. It adds to the idea that autism doesn’t look like one person, breaking down stereotypes. I hope for more representation like this on Broadway.
I asked Conor Tague, who portrayed Tommy, how it felt to originate a role on Broadway that holds space for so many people. Tague said “it’s really amazing to originate a role, while also doing a… accurate representation because representation really matters. And to play this role that’s basically another counterpart of me and with these amazing people, it’s just, it’s fun every night.”