The Hideout Theatre is committed to growing the Building Connections program by
offering programming to a wide range of youth and adults, including:
neurodivergent students, at-risk youth, homeless youth and adults, youth and
adults with trauma histories/attachment challenges, and youth and adults with
mental health issues. Having adapted programming allows the Hideout to
customize class settings and instruction to specific groups, which maximizes
accessibility, fun, and therapeutic benefit for all involved. The Hideout Theatre
celebrates neurodiversity, and solely uses “special needs” as a “catch-all” way to cue
parents and caregivers to offerings outside of our traditional classes. We’re
delighted you’re here with us!

Building Connections from The Hideout Theatre on Vimeo.

“The Building Connections program at the Hideout Theatre is the best of its kind in the nation, maybe the world. It combines a high-quality curriculum with skilled and dedicated instructors who collaborate with a level of professionalism that most schools and universities would envy.”

– Jim Ansaldo, PhD (Center on Education and Lifelong Learning w/ Indiana Institute on Disability and Community @ IU)

Improv classes are an excellent forum for youth to gain confidence, build social skills, practice life skills, and have fun. For Building Connections students, improv provides a wonderful opportunity for personal growth in a safe environment. Parents have reported that their children have gained a wide variety of benefits from taking classes, including expressive language gains, increased confidence, improved social skills, a decrease in negative behaviors, and an increase in self-expression.

For more information, please see class description and contact information below.

Classes for Autistic Youth and Young Adults (ASD Classes):

These classes take place in a safe and fun setting where students can explore and challenge themselves. A very low teacher/student ratio ensures that each student gets the attention they need. These classes are tailored to youth and young adults on the autism spectrum, and  focus on having fun, improving social skills, increasing self-awareness, increasing self-expression, and gaining confidence. If you/your child is on the autism spectrum and would benefit from improv classes, please contact us so that we can assess whether this class would be a good fit for you/your child!

Spring Classes –

Improv Tailored to Youth on the Autism Spectrum ages ~8-11* Fee: $270

Day and Time – Saturdays  1pm-2pm

Dates: September 14-December 14. Showcase on December 7. Skipping November 30.

Hideout Annex – 5555 N. Lamar Suite 103B (next to goodwill donation drop-off)

Instructor  Katty Nunez

Improv Tailored to Youth on the Autism Spectrum ages ~12-14* Fee: $270

Day and Time – Saturdays 12:30-1:30pm 

Dates: September 14-December 14. Showcase on December 7. Skipping November 30.

Hideout Annex – 5555 N. Lamar Suite 103B (next to goodwill donation drop-off)

Instructor  Kristen Drenning

                                         Improv Tailored to Youth on the Autism Spectrum ages ~15-18* Fee: $350

Day and Time – Sundays time 1:00pm-2:30pm 

Dates: September 15-December 15. Showcase on December 8. Skipping October 13 and December 1.

Location:  Hideout Annex – 5555 N. Lamar Suite 103B (next to goodwill donation drop-off)

Instructors: Tim Larabee and Renee Troxler

* If you’re not sure which class would be best for your child based on their age, please contact Youth Program Director Jessica Arjet 

*A limited number of scholarships are available. Please contact Jessica Arjet  for more information.

Workshops:
The Hideout Theatre is able to provide workshops to special needs youth and adults including those with mental health challenges, Autism Spectrum Disorders, intellectual disabilities, and at-risk youth. To inquire further about this or to get a quote, please contact Jessica Arjet.

Support the Special Needs Program:

The Building Connections Program at the Hideout Theatre is dedicated to continued growth, affordability, and being able to provide scholarships to students who would not otherwise be able to afford classes. We welcome all levels of financial support. Every dollar received will go towards expanding the Special Needs programming and helping kids take specialized improv classes they would not otherwise have access to.

To donate, please click the button below. You can specify your donation amount on the Paypal page.

Thank you for your contribution!

Also, consider becoming a volunteer teaching assistant! TAs are an incredibly
important part of the program, to keep the student-to-adult ratio low. TAs are
vetted and background checks are completed to make sure everybody feels safe.
Apply today!“This is a program I would’ve loved to have growing up. Kids on the spectrum all too
often feel like they have to second guess themselves in order to “seem normal.” This is
something improv has helped me overcome, and I would love the opportunity to
facilitate this environment for a younger generation” – quote from TA!TAs have fun, support the community, and get to play! It’s like taking an
improv class for free!

Youth Programs Director:

Jessica Arjet has been teaching improv to children of all abilities and specialties since 2003. She started the ASD program with the help of Lacy Alana in order to serve a population that seemed drawn to improv, but had a hard time in the typical classes. In a former career she worked as a social worker with at risk youth and teens in the foster care system.  Currently she enjoys teaching, directing, producing, performing and watching improv of all kinds.  You can contact Jessica by email for more info!