Anne Torsiglieri Shines a Light on the Struggles and Joys of Autism in TAKING THE A TRAIN

When Anne Torsiglieri's twin boys were 15 months old, she noticed something not quite right. While one was incredibly engaged with the people around him, the other seemed to prefer the company of the ceiling fan and the beams of light. As his brother tried to joke with family members, he preferred the isolation of his own inner world.

Torsiglieri and her husband consulted medical professionals and specialists, and a diagnosis was not far behind: Their young son had autism.

"Then began the long journey of learning how to help him, how to survive emotionally, and how to find a new way of defining happiness..." Torsiglieri said. "...a happiness that is actually, now, very rich and true and 'in the moment.'"

A playwright and actor, Torsiglieri has taken her experiences raising an autistic child and woven them into her one-woman show, "A" Train. Under the direction of Risa Brainin and developed through LAUNCH PAD at UC Santa Barbara, "A" Train will make a stop at Theatre Row in New York City for the 8th annual United Solo Festival. Torsiglieri will give four performances, three of which have already sold out (9/30 at 9pm, 10/10 at 4pm, 10/16 at 9pm). The newly added fourth is set for Monday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m.