Bringing The Voice Of Autisim To A Radio Play
October 27th, 2008 Posted in General InfoOnce again, the power of the voice is striking when it comes to the radio play. Especially this one. “Lucy” is the story of a 13 year old autistic girl whose mother comes back into her life years later after her father raised her.
“Lucy”, written by Damien Atkins, was performed on a New York stage before coming to Los Angeles as an LA Theatre Works radio play. This weekend five actors assembled at The Invisible Studios to lend their voices to this fascinating story. Actor, (and daughter of Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman) Lucy DeVito, playing autistic teen, Lucy, had to transcend her performing skills from that New York stage to the recording studio.
In scene after scene Lucy makes gutteral sounds, emotional wails, groans and grunts, communicating her frustration, anger and sadness; a different performing challenge and Lucy DeVito was magical.
As I sat in the studio, on the other side of the glass, removed from the actors by a giant glass window, I was amazed at how easily I was transported into Lucy’s world. Occasionally I’d look up to see this young woman, in her twenties, script in hand at the mic, bringing this autistic teen to life.
This truly is the power of the voice at its best.
“Lucy” will be broadcast in the next few months through LA Theatre Works and then will be available on DVD.
The rest of the excellent cast, Roxanne Hart (Vivian), Geoffrey Lower (Gavin) Sarah Rafferty (Julia), and Raphael Sbarge (Morris) round out this very powerful play.
Check out my podcast interview next week with Lucy DeVito.
-Tracy Pattin
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