What people are saying ...
“The Real Abilities comic book curriculum was absolutely fantastic! Our students gained unique insight into various disabilities through a thoughtful, relatable and entertaining comic book series. They were able to identify moments in the text when characters on the Real Abilities team were being bullied which allowed for thoughtful discussions about bullying and what actions we can all take to stop it in our schools, in our homes and in our communities. The activities in the Comic Book Companion provided our kids with the opportunity to step into the shoes of someone who is disabled further developing the understanding and compassion within our students. I recommend the Real Abilities comic book curriculum to all schools and students in order to help children cultivate empathy and grow into kind and compassionate world citizens.”
“As an educator, I was very impressed with not just the idea of Realabilities, but with the comprehensiveness of the curriculum. In a light and child-friendly way, Realabilities broadened my students’ perspectives and fostered feelings of acceptance towards others who may be perceived as different, but who are really quite the same! The comic books were engaging, the activities and questions provided were stimulating and engendered deep discussions, and the performance was entertaining and very well-done. I hope Realabilities finds continued success and reaches as many schools, parents, and children as possible!”
“The charming and delightful Addy & Uno isn’t just entertaining for audiences of every age; its message is also uplifting and important.
The energetic performers infused the zippy dialogue and lyrics with verve. Clever and high-minded, but always accessible for each audience member, Addy & Uno would make a great addition to any school program and stage of any size.”
“Bravo! Addy & Uno was a joy to have shared with my triplet 6-year old children as I introduce them to the magic of live performance. Through catchy music and capable performances, the themes were thoughtful, relevant, accessible, and immediately engaging. The characters, although puppets, stoke very real feelings that result in a beautiful embrace of diversity while encouraging empathy and self-awareness. I look forward to seeing a continued evolution of this important and entertaining project.”
“Addy & Uno is a game changer. It is an engaging and entertaining performance with super catchy music that sensitizes kids — and adults — to others with differences. It has been a great launchpad for discussions with my kids. I would love for schools to present this performance for their students with a curriculum exploring the topic in more depth.”
“I was very excited to watch Addy and Uno, because it can relate to me in some ways because I have disabilities. It was a very exciting show with amazing talent. I loved the message it gave. I enjoyed the parts with sign language because I’m trying to learn. Watching the show was a great opportunity.”
“I have never seen a production of this caliber that is both educational and engaging. The music, lyrics and talent of the actors who performed this impressive show were exemplary. I strongly believe that the profound message of this musical production should be brought to wider audiences, including children of all ages, abilities, demographics and geographical locations. I believe that this production should tour at schools across the country, as this musical can enhance an anti-bullying program.”
“As a private contractor working in the field of Special Education by supporting children in the classroom, I was moved to tears twice by Addy & Uno.
This musical can inspire confidence in children to do the right and kind thing. Ultimately, this is the essence and goal we all have for all of our children. Through playfulness, storytelling and music, Addy & Uno provides the tools and language to attain this.
There are so many layers to this show. Although it is genuinely educational, the storytelling is conveyed through compelling dialogue, enchanting music, and adorable puppets, imbuing the learning experience with the magic and therapeutic effect that sometimes only a good show can bestow.
I can honestly say that I think Addy & Uno is such an incredible theatrical experience. I genuinely hope it reaches the lights of Broadway and opens the hearts and minds of thousands more who will have the chance to see this beautiful, very human puppet show, that made me both laugh and cry.
As a teacher, I would love to see this play become a standard field day trip for schools.”
“I had heard about this wonderful production and went to see it a few weeks ago. What a treat! I usually like to take a child, or two, with me to this type of production because it can be so much more enjoyable to watch them react to the show. I did not need a child with me because the show brought out my inner child. The themes, songs and characters of Addy & Uno were so vivid and entrancing that I became engrossed in it. It was a perfect show. I believe it is a very valuable and educational production, not only for children, but for their parents and teachers.”
“People of all ages were on the edge of their seats, watching the talent, laughing when moved, tearing-up, smiling and listening to the original music, which supported the eye-catching puppeteered characters, that through entertainment, were making a case and standing up for what is right in this world.”
“I can’t say enough good things about Addy & Uno. Creativity. Talent. Humor. Emotional on so many levels. Victory. Lessons on friendship and loyalty. Anti-bully message. Being different is ok message. Everyone has a gift message. Empowering. Deep, yet simple. Loved this show!!”
“I loved Addy and Uno. It showed people can be different but still have their own strengths. It also showed you shouldn’t stop trying no matter what. All of the kids had disabilities but they didn’t let bullies, competitions or their disabilities stop them from achieving their goal. It is an amazing show.”
“I saw the play and was immediately astonished. This is a play for adults and children of all ages that can change the way people view individuals with disabilities. It’s inspiring and empowering for people with and without disabilities. We all can learn from the characters portrayed. For those who are touched through music the music is phenomenal. At times I find myself singing the lyrics of the play in my apartment. The lyrics and voices capture the attention of the audience instantly. The educational comic book series would enhance any classroom and address bullying. I’m excited to see where Addy & Uno go. The more audiences they reach, the larger the change in our world and the fight to continue to end the stigma. I would recommend Addy & Uno to everyone.”
“Addy & Uno was a wonderful production about teaching children about diversity. My children enjoyed the songs and characters while learning about empathy, understanding and inclusion. I’m bringing the performance to my children’s school this coming fall because I believe it is important for all children to be able to learn those core values on a level that they can understand.”
“I attended a performance of Addy & Uno, A New Puppet Musical, on a day when 80 elementary school children were in the house. I was so fortunate to experience both this excellent performance and the reactions from the (young) audience. They were fully engaged, completely absorbed in the performers (both human and felt), and moved by the plot and messages being conveyed.
For this adult, I too was close to tears at times; the work that I have seen from Dr. Silton on paper (comic books) and in YouTube clips has now come fully alive in this new version, the musical.
As an audience member, I was transfixed. As an educator, I saw firsthand the effects of Dr. Silton’s smart design and expertise in this world of child development and work with children both mainstream and with disabilities. It was basically a brilliant endeavor.”
“I cannot say enough about the amazing musical “Addy & Uno.” From the very first scene, the audience is drawn in by the amazing songs and lyrics, dialogue, and humor. One moment I found myself laughing and the next I was on the brink of tears. I noticed that the audience was comprised of men, women, and children of all ages and I believe the show appealed to every single person in the room. The cast performed together so seamlessly, one would think they had known each other their whole lives.
I hope to see this show on Broadway in the very near future! Furthermore, I think it is imperative that every school adopt the full curriculum and comic book series as this anti bullying message must continue to be taught and instilled in today’s youth.
I recommend you buy your tickets now! This show will be sold out in seconds!”
“I am a certified sign language interpreter and have been teaching American Sign Language at Marymount Manhattan College for 17 years. I have been following Nava Silton’s careful and intrepid development of the Realabilities/Addy & Uno Project for several years, have spoken with her numerous times about the inclusion of a Deaf character, and recently saw the musical production. I was so impressed with the positive and accurate portrayal of hearing impairment in the show and witnessed the excitement and enjoyment a large group of school children had at the performance. I think this very worthy project will speak to a mainstream audience about prosocial values and will encourage sensitivity and understanding while also being just a fun show.”
“As a professor of theatre arts, for many reasons, Addy & Uno is a strong, well-constructed production. However, I’d like to comment specifically on the show as a piece of outreach theatre. For four years, I worked on three different outreach theatre productions, and also served as the Outreach Theatre Coordinator at my University. I watched Addy & Uno with a keen eye toward transferability, audience engagement, and clarity of content; I was so impressed with this production’s low-budget, concise approach to adapting existing space and the clever ways it transitioned between scenes and locations within the script. The choices were imaginative, but also clear. The beautiful puppets allow for a representation of difference that does not fall into stereotype. The students seemed very willing to engage directly with the puppets; puppets are less threatening than live, bubbly actors and thus may more effectively encourage young spectators to bond with those characters who are typically marked as “different.” Finally, the songs in this show not only engage the audience in the content in a relatable fashion, but they may also help the ideas stay with the students long after the performance.
The humor is clever (without tipping into cynicism) and the direction lively and imaginative. The book has a clear shape and offers the performers enough material to develop their characters quickly and memorably; this seems vital in a relatively short piece. I’m certain my 8-year old niece would leave this show not only with a favorite character, but also able to talk about the play’s message. From my perspective, that’s a success.”
“Addy & Uno, A New Puppet Show Musical is a revolutionary and intricate play that elicits deep emotions from individuals ranging from children to adults. The musical, along with the Realabilities comic book series, allows children to think about disabilities in a new light through the use of positive and uplifting characters, who each live with a specific disability. Addy & Uno/Realabilities promotes positive pro-social behaviors and intentions towards children with disabilities; not only does it give typical children a glance into the lives of children with disabilities, but also teaches them how to be kind through a stop bullying platform. This is a wonderful show, and I highly recommend it being extended to a larger audience.”
“Nava, I wanted to write to you to say how impressed I was by the Addy & Uno musical that I attended in December. As a scholar with a long history of work in disability studies, I’ve written a lot about how people with disabilities are portrayed in various texts. Against that backdrop, I was impressed by your ability to craft productive and progressive messages about disabled people in a way that was fun, accessible, and, at moments, even profound. The production values of the performance were high, from the puppets and talented actors, to the imaginative script and catchy songs. But what struck me most was watching the children in the audience make sense of the message; I witnessed lightbulbs flicking on as the largely nondisabled population learned about or rethought what disabilities mean and how to interact with nondisabled peers. My daughter is in third grade, and this is exactly the kind of lesson that I hope she is learning; I would be thrilled if her school were to bring Addy & Uno. One can dream!”
“Addy & Uno represents the best of children’s theatre: it’s action-packed, filled with music, has a great narrative arc, and conveys an important lesson. Not only was I enthralled during the performance; the kids around me were leaning forward and hanging on every word—that is, when they weren’t tapping their feet and singing along. I loved it — they loved it! And all of us learned that the differences between one person and another are strengths to be celebrated and enjoyed.”
“I want to tell you how much I enjoyed Addy & Uno, A New Puppet Musical and how much I appreciate the important work that you are doing on behavioral attitudes towards children with special needs. Your use of a comic book series, The Addy & Uno Educational Comic Book Series Curriculum, and now a puppet musical based on that series is clever and innovative, enabling you to reach an audience that may not otherwise read research articles.
I congratulate you on the success of the Addy & Uno New Puppet Musical and look forward to future successes. On a personal note, I find the character of Uno particularly appealing and I love the math focus of the musical.”
“Addy & Uno is among the most creative, heartwarming and effective portrayals of characters with different abilities. Using loveable and relatable puppets, Addy & Uno offers school age children a look at what it’s like to be different. As a psychologist and educator I appreciate that this show is based on an empirically validated and developmentally appropriate curriculum designed to teach children about diversity. As the mother of kids, I appreciate that it’s fun and engaging! Addy & Uno the puppet show musical is a delightful and educational treat for children and the adults in their lives.”