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A new play features Kansas City actors with autism

For young Kansas City actors with autism, a new play creates space to "connect with others." Vanessa Severo’s “Rubik" tells the story of neurodivergent teens on the cusp of a new phase of life.

When Vanessa Severo first set out to write a play for performers with autism, she reached out to friends and family who were neurodivergent. KCUR's Julie Denesha reports on a new play about a group of teens with an array of developmental challenges, and how Spinning Tree Theatre aims to create new opportunities for young artists with disabilities.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Anna Schmidt and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Gabe Rosenberg.

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As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
Anna Schmidt is the fall 2023 intern for KCUR Studios. She recently graduated from Kansas State University, where she was the Opinions Desk Editor for the Collegian student newspaper and took over the role of podcast host. You can email her at anna.schmidt@kcur.org.
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