Autism is front and center in the pioneering new musical ‘How to Dance in Ohio’ on Broadway

By MARK KENNEDY
AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The stage musical “How to Dance in Ohio” opens on Broadway on Sunday, celebrating those on the autism spectrum and opening a window about autism’s highs and lows for the neurotypical. The musical is based on the Peabody Award-winning documentary of the same name. It is set at a counseling center in Columbus as a group of autistic young adults develop social skills and make connections. Seven openly autistic actors — aged between 19 and 36 — are playing the autistic characters, a first for Broadway.