Center Stage Elite Team visits Chicago

Daily Democrat - 7/17/2017

When the Center Stage Music Elite Team recently performed in Chicago, they received much more than applause.

The musical troop performed to visitors on the 94th floor observatory of the John Hancock Building, and they entertained at the Easter Seals Therapeutic Research Center for children and young adults with autism.

"When we go out to perform, I like to be sure to have service projects and focus on others. It is not all about us," said their Center Stage director, Chenille Saunders, of Carthage, Ill. "I like to give the young people new experiences, 'life skills', and the opportunity to do things they don't normally do."

The first new "life skill" for this team came as they took the train to Chicago. That was a first for some of the teen performers on their trip June 8, 9 and 10.

Saunders had called the John Hancock Observatory last year to see if she could book the team to perform there.

"They don't usually have entertainers there. He was willing for me to send a video of the team and he loved it," Saunders said. "They were very well received."

The next day the team performed at the Easter Seals Center, where they worked with different age groups from kindergarten to 22 years. Some were severely affected by autism, others had less obvious characteristics.

"First they brought in three little boys. Our kids were so great at being responsive, accepting and loving," Saunders said. "This is a life experience they'll never forget. It is more important than performing."

Her son, James, takes up the story, being one of the team.

"One boy was Joseph, about 9 or 10 years old. He was so cute. With his hands, he made all the guys stand in one line and all the girls in another line. He gestured to us to go down on one knee, then he gestured to bring us up. He took a picture of us with his camera. It made me so happy, just to let him do his thing," tells James.

"When we started to perform for everyone, most of the front row just came up, all dancing and singing along with us," James said. The show also has some speaking parts.

"We had to decide to cut out the lines so we could just keep singing. Everyone came up, dancing and jumping up and down."

"It was amazing to see these guys make decisions together, to change the program and skip their speaking parts so they didn't lose the fun their audience was having. That is their improv skills," said Saunders.

"When they perform, they learn about voice and poise and confidence, but they experience so much more about life as well," she said.

Saunders did a little improvising of her own, when the time came for their afternoon tour of Chicago from a double decker bus. Instead she planned a video scavenger hunt, with two teams, chaperoned by she and her husband, Matt.

They earned points for team photos in the China Town open market, at Willis Tower, the Stock Exchange, Buckingham Fountain, The Bean in Millennium Park and other sights.

"We all had Metro passes so they could get around. We saw the city, but the kids got to figure it out. I don't think they knew they were learning life skills.

"Here in rural Illinois, we live in a very sheltered place -- which we like -- but I reminded the kids they would see many things, different life styles, many choices they may not agree with. It is something we talked about afterward."

The Elite Team includes John Bedard and Dyllan Grow, Nauvoo; Elizabeth Morris, Cameron Muston and Cameron Muston, Keokuk, Iowa; James Saunders and McKenna Merritt, Carthage; Ali Nicole Browning, Perry; Gabby Moore, Pittsfield; and Bailey Bender of Hamilton.