One Act sheds light on autism

By: 
Wade Young

The TCU One Act is made up of (from left), sound and light crew Chloe Triden, Alex Bass, Nicole Schweitzer, Jack Erickson, Wyatt Hatlevig, Carolyn Mikel, Andrick Wagner, (back) Kelly Vlasak, Lizzie Christian, Jaylee Hanvelt, and Mackenzie Harstad. Missing is Brooke Holicky from the sound and light crew. (Wade Young Photo)

The mind of a brilliant teenager with autism is the focus of this year’s TCU One Act, “The Other Room.”

The play revolves around Austin, (Andrick Wagner) a brilliant teenage astronomer who happens to have autism. Lily (Carolyn Mikel) is his popular classmate who happens to have an interest in astronomy. When a chance encounter after school leads to a growing connection between them, Austin's imagination, intelligence, and constant struggles to connect with the world are revealed in the form of four characters representing his inner life.

By turns, funny and heartbreaking, The Other Room is a compelling and sensitive glimpse into a unique and misunderstood mind. 

Wagner said he prepared for the part by watching the Netflix show “Atypical” and the ABC show, “The Good Doctor” whose main characters are on the autism spectrum. He said playing a person with autism means showing no emotion when you speak.

“You’re a one-note character with a monotone voice,” he said.

See more in the print edition.

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