Autistic License

By Stacey Dinner-Levin

This touching and funny play is the autobiographical account of one family’s journey to raise a son with autism. From the time that her child is diagnosed at age three, “Mom” leads us through the challenges and milestones of living with autism. We learn from her experiences, the impact this disability has on her marriage and family, while witnessing first hand the best and the worst of people who encounter her son in the outside world.

As a result of living with disability, not only does she come to a greater understanding and appreciation of the uniqueness of her child; she also gains greater depth as a woman and a mother.

“Nobody sees what goes on in families living with disability. To me, theater was the perfect vehicle to tell this story and give voice to all these families. I really wanted to open the doors, take down the walls of our house and say; “Come in, take a good look, see this for what it is: the struggle of my life along with the beauty and joy.”
–– Stacey Dinner-Levin, playwright

Named one of the 10 Best Plays of 2007 by St. Paul Pioneer Press

• Language: English
• Publisher: Studio City
• Release date: Apr 7, 2011
• ISBN: 9781466117181

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

The touching and funny play Autistic License was written by Minneapolis playwright Stacey Dinner-Levin in 2005. It’s the autobiographical account of one family’s journey to raise a son with autism. From the time that her child is diagnosed at age three, Mom leads us through the challenges and milestones of living with autism. An omnipresent interviewer acts not so much as a guide, but rather a sounding board, as she moves along this uncharted path. We learn from her experiences, the impact this disability has on her marriage and family, while witnessing first hand the best and the worst of people who encounter her son in the outside world.

As a result of living with disability, not only does she come to a greater understanding and appreciation of the uniqueness of her child; she also gains greater depth as a woman and a mother.

"Nobody sees what goes on in families living with disability. To me, theater was the perfect vehicle to tell this story and give voice to all these families. I really wanted to open the doors, take down the walls of our house and say; Come in, take a good look, see this for what it is: the struggle of my life along with the beauty and joy.

–– Stacey Dinner-Levin, playwright

Autistic License was first produced in 2005, in workshop form, as part of Illusion Theater’s acclaimed Fresh Ink Series. In 2007 Illusion Theater brought Autistic License back in full production running May 4–20 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The play starred the brilliant Amy McDonald as Mom, Ari Hoptman as Dad, and the role of the Child was played by the playwright’s husband, long-time professional actor Michael Paul Levin. One might think that Levin would play himself as Dad, but the Levin family understandably felt very protective of how the autistic traits of their son were portrayed, and who better to capture the delicate nuances of Geordy’s autism than his father? That does, however, require another actor to play the role of Dad, in some of the most difficult moments of his life, on stage next to Levin. This has provided quite a unique experience for all involved, as one might imagine.

The play was a critical success from the start, but even more importantly, it struck a chord with the viewing public that has not been quieted since. In fact, audience member and parent of a child with autism, Melissa Arnold was quite moved by the play. Unfortunately it had closed its run at Illusion Theater and there were no plans for a further life of this incredible work. Desperately wanting it to reach a larger audience she created the Autistic License Outreach Tour in 2008, bringing the play to schools and communities across the Minneapolis/St.Paul metro area and raising funds so that it could be offered free of charge. The ongoing tour has brought the play to thousands of additional audience members, in Minnesota and Wisconsin, typically during April, Autism Awareness Month.

Autistic License has garnered many awards and accolades:

Dominic Papatola, theater critic for the St.Paul Pioneer Press named it one of the 10 Best Plays of 2007.

It was also nominated for a national Theater Critics Award.

The play was featured in the January, 2010 issue of American Theater Magazine.

Director Peter Moore won the Best Educational Film Award at the 2010 International Family Film Festival in Burbank for a DVD recording featuring the professional cast.

And now, there’s a new DVD from the momentous 2010 production at Blank Slate Theatre featuring an impressive young cast, with the playwright’s muse himself, her son Geordy Levin, starring as the Child. Audience members have remarked, You captured a certain joy in your script, made all the more real by seeing Geordy playing himself and loving it…Awesome show! and The maturity of this teenage cast will astound you––and you will fall in love with Geordy Levin.

Audiences cannot get enough of this tender-hearted play. Packed houses are routinely brought to tears and to their feet as Dinner-Levin’s beautiful words capture the autism experience like no one else has. They are inspired, educated, validated, supported and entertained. How did you get inside my head? and It’s like you had cameras in our house! are frequent audience comments. Many ask if it’s available on DVD or in a readable format, so supporters of the play have made that happen. (A printed copy of this book can be ordered from the publisher at www.studiocity.me)

We hope you enjoy reading this incredible play over and over again.

www.autisticlicenseplay.com

AUTISTIC LICENSE was developed and produced by The Illusion Theater (Michael Robins and Bonnie Morris, Producing Directors) in May 2007. It was directed by Peter Moore; the set design was by Dean Holzman; the lighting design was by Kathy Maxwell; the costume design was by A. Emily Heaney; the music was composed and performed by Don Eitel with Montana Johnson and Ryan Harris as sound engineers; the stage manager was Tree O’Halloran*.

Original Cast

MOM:

Amy McDonald*

INTERVIEWER:

Allen Hamilton*

CHILD:

Michael Paul Levin

PSYCHOLOGIST:

Camille D’ Ambrose*

DAD:

Ari Hoptman

YOUNG MAN:

Damon Brook

YOUNG WOMAN:

Lynnea M. Doublette

OLDER WOMAN:

Sally-Ann Wright

* Denotes members of Actors’ Equity Union

AUTISTIC LICENSE

COPYRIGHT © 2005 BY STACEY DINNER–LEVIN

All Rights Reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part, in any form.

CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that any performance of AUTISTIC LICENSE is subject to payment of a royalty. It is fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America, the British Commonwealth, including Canada, and all other countries of the International Copyright Union, and all countries covered by the Pan-American Copyright Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention, and of all countries with which the United States has reciprocal copyright relations. All rights, including professional/amateur stage rights, motion picture, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio broadcasting, television, video or sound recording, all other forms of mechanical or electronic reproduction such as DVD, CD-ROM, CD-I, eBOOK, digital formats or any other type of internet usage, information storage and retrieval systems and photocopying, and the rights of translation into foreign languages, are strictly reserved. Legal permission to use any form of AUTISTIC LICENSE must be obtained in writing from the Author. No professional or non-professional performance of the Play may be given without obtaining in advance the written permission of the Author and paying the requisite fee.

All inquiries concerning rights should be addressed to the Author: Stacey Dinner-Levin, 4515 18th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55407. E-mail: [e-mail]

SPECIAL NOTE: Anyone receiving permission to produce AUTISTIC LICENSE is required to give credit to the Author as sole and exclusive Author of the Play on the title page of all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play and in all instances in which the title of the Play appears for purposes of advertising, publicizing or otherwise exploiting the Play and/or a production thereof. The name of the Author must appear on a separate line, in which no other name appears, immediately beneath the title and in size of type equal to 50% of the size of the largest, most prominent letter used for the title of the Play. No person, firm or