Interview: Lorien Reese Mahay, Matt Spencer, Janet Pickel of DARE TO DREAM, JR. at Theatre Harrisburg Penguin Project

The Penguin Project, which was founded in 2004 to give young actors with disabilities an opportunity to shine on stage, has spread around the country. I have had the privilege to cover the Penguin Project shows in Gettysburg over the last several years, and this year, I am excited to introduce our readers to the Penguin Project’s Harrisburg chapter at Theatre Harrisburg. Executive Director Lorien Reese Mahay, show director Matt Spencer, and Janet Pickel, one of the parents of a Penguin Project performer, shared a bit about the history of the program at Theatre Harrisburg, what audiences can look forward to this year, and what the Penguin Project experience means to everyone involved. The Penguin Project performers take the stage in Disney’s Dare to Dream, Jr. at the Whitaker Center this year August 7-9.

BWW: Tell us a little about the history of the Penguin Project at Theatre Harrisburg.

Matt: Founded in 2004, The Penguin Project is a national organization that promotes theatre for everyone by putting students who are on the spectrum or disabled in all the roles in a musical. Theatre Harrisburg officially started the Harrisburg region’s chapter in 2023 by performing Annie, Jr. That first year, we were small, scrappy, and figuring things out as we went. We had 18 Penguin performers and 13 mentors. Today, twelve of those original Penguins and five original mentors are still part of the program. Since then, we’ve expanded our production team, grown our mentor base, and watched this community flourish beyond anything we imagined.

BWW: Why was it important for Theatre Harrisburg to offer this opportunity to the local community?

Lorien: There wasn’t anything like this in our area, and after speaking with other Penguin Project chapters across the nation, I saw firsthand the transformative impact it has on families. As Harrisburg’s community theatre, our mission is to give everyone a space to be center stage. This program is a natural extension of that promise—these kids deserve their spotlight, and we are deeply honored to walk alongside them on their theatre journey.

BWW: How has the program evolved and grown since its start at Theatre Harrisburg?

Matt: Since our first year, we’ve seen incredible growth from everyone involved in the program. We’ve had penguins who would not talk on stage in year one who are now singing full solos. Students who wouldn’t speak above a whisper are now talking so that the whole room can hear them. The growth extends far beyond the stage. We’ve seen improvements in reading skills, personal boundaries, confidence, and independence. We’ve also seen growth amongst the mentors. We’ve seen them become leaders, advocates, problem-solvers, and compassionate collaborators. They’ve developed communication skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives.

BWW: For those not as familiar with the Penguin Project, explain how the mentoring works.

Matt: Each performer—or “Penguin,” as they’re lovingly called—is paired with a peer mentor of a similar age. These mentors help with everything from learning lines and navigating backstage to building confidence and friendships throughout the process.

BWW: Tell us a little about the production for 2026. Why did you select this show for the Penguin Project production this year, and how many performers and other volunteers are involved this year?

Lorien: This is our 4th Penguin Project production. Disney’s Dare to Dream, Jr. is a musical where first-day junior Disney Imagineers are learning what it means to dream for themselves and their community. They learn through classic Disney songs that the whole family knows and loves. When setting out to pick the following year’s production, we look first and foremost at if there are enough roles for every performer to have a shining moment. Making sure all 27 Penguin performers have their moment in the spotlight is important to the entire production team, and we are thrilled that Dare to Dream, Jr. does just that. This year’s production includes a record-breaking 58 penguins and mentors. There is a production team of 14 helping to bring the show together and of course the staff at Theatre Harrisburg bringing their unique magic to the table. 

BWW: Matt, as the director for the Penguin Project production, tell us a little about yourself.

Matt: My first production with Theatre Harrisburg was in 2019, when I was brought on as the director and puppet coach for Avenue Q (a very different show than what we’re talking about today). Since then, I’ve had the privilege of directing and designing several productions, including our first post-COVID production, SpongeBob the Musical.

BWW: What do you love most about directing a Penguin Project show?

Matt: I love getting to see the small victories each rehearsal and celebrating them with the cast. These students work incredibly hard, and we love nothing more than to raise them up when they do incredible things. At the end of each rehearsal, once the students have all gone home, the production team quickly gathers and talks about the wins of the day. The victories of the students are what we treasure the most.

BWW: What should audiences expect to experience this year, whether they’ve been to a Penguin Project show before or not?

Matt: There is nothing quite like seeing a Penguin Project production. Each performance is its own beautiful moment. Ranging from incredible singing to the kids dancing their hearts out, each performer brings their all on show weekend. At the end of every show, each chapter across the country ends with the same song and choreography: “Don’t Stop Believing”. Through this song, the artists get to celebrate their victories on stage together. If the audience hasn’t cried by that moment, they will then.

BWW: What do you think audiences will enjoy most about this particular production?

Matt: Dare to Dream, Jr. has some of the most iconic Disney music you know. These songs are strung together in new and surprising ways that will tug at your heart strings. When staging the show, I’ve worked with the penguin performers to bring their strengths forward to truly highlight their performance in the show. Bring tissues, the last 20 minutes will be a doozy.

BWW: Janet, I understand that your son is one of the actors in this year’s production. Tell us a little about yourself.

Janet: I’m Janet Pickel. We live in Middletown, PA, and I work as a journalist. My son, Cade, is almost 15. He started taking theater classes when he was 6 to help develop his speech and social skills—he’d been diagnosed before kindergarten with high-functioning autism and ADHD.

BWW: What prompted you to get involved with the Penguin Project at Theatre Harrisburg?

Janet: I love community theater. I thankfully saw a Facebook note from Theatre Harrisburg announcing a meeting about the Penguin Project. Cade had done small shows with his theater class, but nothing public. He didn’t always seem to fit in well. I thought Penguin sounded like a great opportunity for him to perform with a group of kids he’d feel comfortable with. Well, at the first meeting, the grownups went to talk, and the kids went to sing and dance with Matt Spencer, the director. Cade told me in no uncertain terms he was NOT going to do this. (He did it anyway, and after the first show was hooked.)

BWW: What is it about the Penguin Project that brought you back for another year?

Janet: This is our fourth show with the Penguins, and it might sound like hyperbole, but it’s been life-changing for my family. Cade got involved with the theater programs in his middle school, which I doubt he’d have done otherwise. He has made real friends. He has grown as a performer but also in confidence. Other Penguin parents have become a support system for us. I wasn’t expecting that we’d all—the kids, their grownups, “our” theater staff—become so close. I never want it to end.

BWW: What do you wish our readers knew about how important the Penguin Project is for the Harrisburg community?

Janet: Kids with special needs are here, and they have contributions to make. They have superpowers that are so often overlooked because of how they appear or sound. Also, everyone should take lessons from the relationships between our Penguins and Mentors — there’s no condescension or pity. It’s a bunch of kids working with a bunch of kids, and everyone is better for it.

If you have never experienced a Penguin Project production before, you are missing out. It is one of the most inspiring, heart-warming theatre experiences. It reminds us that art is a thoroughly human experience. It is something that brings us together. It can give a voice to the voiceless and a spotlight to those too often relegated to the dark. Join Theatre Harrisburg’s Penguin Project team for this year’s production of Disney’s Dare to Dream, Jr. Visit theatreharrisburg.com/penguin-project/ for more information and to get your tickets.

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