Pictured: Actors Dryden Dilts (left) and Melissa Langdon in a dress rehearsal before hitting the road. Photo by Leif Norman.

This spring, elementary school students in Thompson, Norway House, and The Pas, MB will experience a heartfelt stage performance with a powerful message through the Manitoba Theatre for Young People (MTYP)’s Spelling 2-5-5 tour, a project aiming to generate deeper understanding among young children of autistic behaviors.

MTYP is devoted to shedding light on important issues by creating touching art performances. Spelling 2-5-5 was written by Canadian playwright, Jennifer Overton, which tells the story of two brothers who share the same passion for reading but only one can win a spelling bee contest – promises to deliver both lessons and amusement to the audience.

The tour is made possible by a grant from The North West Company's Healthy Horizons Foundation.

“Manitoba Theatre for Young People is grateful to The North West Company for strengthening Manitoba communities through the Healthy Horizons Foundation,” says Pablo Felices-Luna, MTYP’s Artistic Director. “The $5,000 investment will support the tour of Spelling 2-5-5, which will be shared in over 80 schools across Manitoba, including schools in Thompson, Norway House, and The Pas. Being able to tour a play into schools provides youth in remote areas access to meaningful and transformative theatre experiences. Thanks to the grant from the Healthy Horizons Foundation, Spelling 2-5-5 will encourage those who see it towards a deeper understanding of autism, leading to heightened empathy and understanding to help create a kinder world for all.”

To learn more about this MTYP production, visit the MTYP website.