Can we go back tomorrow, Kara?”

“No, Kadie, it’s over. I’m sorry, darlin’.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks as the heartbreaking realization occurred to that 13-year-old little sister of mine. You see, this summer wasn’t like any other summer we’d spent together. This summer was life altering … but not in the way you’d expect.

This past year I was asked to teach and direct the Kidstage program at Center on the Square in downtown Searcy. Each season is different. In the spring, the kids get to learn different aspects and techniques of theater while working on a show that is a compilation of individual performances such as small monologues, musical numbers and group scenes. This fall we are in the process of working on two different one-acts, “Alice” (for the “littles,” those in second to sixth grade) and “Through the Looking Glass” (for the “bigs,” seventh grade to recent high school graduates). This session functions less like a class and more as rehearsal time.

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a drama and speech licensure major, so this job is right up my alley. However, directing at Kidstage is more than just a job for me. I’ve “adopted” many of these kids as my own. It makes my day to hear them call my name in Wal-Mart or come over for a hug at church. However, I think myself and those in the program would all agree that nothing is as special as the summer musical.

I had previously directed several regular shows, but this summer was a first for me in the musical department. I desperately wanted to do well, but I knew that staging and designing the set for “Annie” was going to be far different from anything else I had ever done. Choreography alone was a whole different story. Thankfully, with the help of my team, we pulled it off. But this summer wasn’t about proving myself capable of directing a musical, or even pulling off a good one (though I am so proud of how it turned out). This summer was about impacting someone else’s life.

That someone was Kadie.

Kadie was diagnosed with autism at the age of four. And like they say, if you’ve met one kid with autism, you’ve met one kid with autism. They’re all different. Kadie happens to be one of the smartest, brightest, most friendly people I know. And when you put her on a stage, her focus and dedication will stun you. This summer at Kidstage gave her a place where she could express herself in song, dance and acting. She was surrounded by people who accepted her for who she was. People who were patient enough to give her a chance to shine, and become her friend — not because they felt like they had to be, but because when they let her in, she shined such a bright light in their lives that they couldn’t help but love her.

So at the end of the cast party, when Kadie realized the show was over and the program was done, she wasn’t the only one crying. The realization that the dance numbers, group hugs and times spent playing games and laughing together were over hit everyone hard. Anyone could see that this summer had made a difference in Kadie’s life. Her tears were genuine. She had felt like she truly belonged. And for those of you who know little about autism, those times are few and far between.

Needless to say, she was ecstatic to go back this fall, and if you’d like to see her and her sister perform, mark your calendars for November 13th and 14th. I’m sure Kadie would love to meet you.