How To Dance In OhioScript, Piano/Vocal Score & show details

Full synopsis

Act One

Our seven stars greet and welcome the audience to the show. They introduce themselves and remind the audience, “If you’ve met one Autistic person, you’ve met one Autistic person.” The music begins (“Today Is (Part 1)”). We meet Caroline, Drew, Marideth, Mel, Tommy, Remy, and Jessica: seven Autistic young adults. They walk us through their daily routines in Columbus, Ohio, while proclaiming that most of the places they want to get to were not designed for them. We also meet their parents: Terry, Johanna, Michael, Kurt, and Amy, who assist and support them in various parts of their lives. Finally, we meet Dr. Emilio Amigo and his daughter, Ashley, who together run Amigo Family Counseling, a social skills therapy center for Autistic individuals. They prepare the space for a group session that includes our seven leading characters. (“Today Is (Part 2)”).

For their first activity of the new year, Dr. Amigo tasks the Group to set social resolutions for themselves (“Under Control”). We learn what each character is working towards while combating the social pressures put upon them: “The expectations are always rising goal after goal after goal.” Marideth, who is new to the Group, resolves to eat at the noisy diner her father likes. Tommy wants to get his driver’s license; Remy plans his cosplay career; Mel hopes for a promotion at work: ‘Head of Reptiles.’

Back at their homes, we see the Group members’ parents preparing their young adult children for a world that is often too fast, loud, and uncaring (“The How-Tos”). They worry about whether their children will ever be fully independent. Their ensemble of concerns culminates in Drew’s parents, Kurt and Amy, revealing to Dr. Amigo that Drew has gotten into the University of Michigan, his dream college, but is having doubts about leaving home. Concerned by what seems like a setback in Drew’s social development, Dr. Amigo vows to help Drew find the confidence to go out of state for college. Marideth suggests that a rite of passage might help Drew feel ready. Dr. Amigo runs with this idea and creates the Amigo Spring Formal, a dance that will push his clients out of their comfort zones and create opportunities for personal growth (“How To Dance In Ohio”).

Not everyone is excited about the dance. At the diner, Marideth tells her father, Michael, that she is uncertain if she will go. As Michael tries to engage with her about a date or a dress, Marideth instead sings about Australia, one of her special interests (“Unlikely Animals”), opining on the beauty of its unique fauna and the geographic isolation that caused their bizarre evolution.

Back at Amigo Family Counseling, preparation begins for the Amigo Spring Formal: the Group learns how to keep the beat, ask someone to the dance, cope with nerves, and more (“Butterflies”).

The days tick down to the dance. Caroline struggles to pay attention in her college classes, because she is so excited about the formal, but also because her boyfriend shows increasing signs of jealousy (“Slow Dancing”). Caroline’s fantasy of romance outweighs her doubts, especially when she is joined by her best friend, Jessica, and their mothers, Johanna and Terry, to shop for formal dresses at the mall. As the daughters try on sparkling gowns, Johanna and Terry recall their own formals (“Getting Ready For The Dance”), and how they didn’t expect to have this moment with their daughters.

The group struggles with insecurity, overwhelm, and uncertainty as the days count down to the Amigo Spring Formal (“Waves And Wires”). Drew wants to ask Marideth to be his date, but he can’t find the perfect moment. Mel copes with being reprimanded at work. Caroline doesn’t understand her boyfriend’s behavior. Finally, Drew approaches Marideth, hoping to ask her to the dance; but, his confidence falters and he offers her a book about Pangea instead. It’s a setback, but Drew isn’t going to give up because, “Unlike a circuit, a person can grow.” The first act ends with only one day till the dance.

Act Two

Through Marideth’s perspective, we see Drew give her his book about Pangea. She cherishes it and takes it everywhere she goes (“Drift”).

The Amigo Spring Formal is one day away. At Amigo Family Counseling, Dr. Amigo gives an interview to local reporters (“Terminally Human”), in a well-intentioned attempt to break down stereotypes about the Autistic community. Meanwhile, hopes and anxieties are high, as each member of the Group works out their last-minute jitters for the dance (“So Much In Common”).

Unfortunately, the day falls disastrously apart. Caroline and Jessica get in a huge fight. Tommy finally gets his driver’s license (“Chevy Silverado”) but then crashes his brother’s truck. Ashley Amigo is fired by her own father. Mel gets their promotion, only to get stuck with a shift during the dance. In a silver lining moment, Mel and Ashley commiserate over their bad fortune, which helps them begin to repair an old injury between their friendship (“Reincarnation”).

The low point, however, comes when one of the reporters publishes an article online about the Amigo Spring Formal that is incredibly ableist and offensive. Feeling humiliated, betrayed and angered, Remy decides he will not go to the dance (“Nothing At All”) and will instead host his first ever livestream on his cosplay channel, all about Autistic representation.

Drew is the only group member to show up for the Amigo Spring Formal. Dr. Amigo apologizes for the article and also for meddling in Drew’s college decision, acknowledging, “It’s up to you when you want to start your life.” But Drew insists his life has already started because he’s found community, friends, and possibly even love in Ohio (“Building Momentum”). Drew proposes a second Dance, which he’ll spearhead the creation of. That way, he can finally ask Marideth to dance. In the spirit of self-advocacy, Dr. Amigo agrees.

With the help of the rest of the Group and their parents, Amigo Family Counseling is transformed into a magical wonderland – a party perfectly designed by and for these Autistic young adults. Our seven stars each receive a red carpet reveal, where they model their own take on formalwear: sparkly dresses, Doc Martens, a tuxedo t-shirt, dragon makeup, and Phantom of the Opera cosplay (“Building Momentum (Reprise”).

Finally, Drew finds the courage to ask Marideth to dance. It takes her some time to answer, but finally, she says “yes.” Drew takes her hand. He pulls her a little closer, ready to take the next step: the first step (“Finale”).