Cloquet Summer Acting Camp to Highlight Neurodivergence

CLOQUET, Minn.–It’s all about the actors at a camp in Cloquet featuring Little Red Riding Hood… with a twist!

This play isn’t your Grandma’s Three Little Pigs. Thursday, July 27, 2 p.m. at Encore Performing Arts in Cloquet you can see the reimagined production of this iconic play. Featured is a rapping wolf, hip squirrels and a dancing Little Riding Hood. The student actors at the camp have experienced ADHD, anxiety and other mental health challenges. The camp brings kids together and celebrates how unique we each are. Every student has an important role, whether front and center or behind the scenes.

“We all suffer from something. It impacts our life is some way to be able to say this is just a part of life,” said General Manager and Co-Director Joel Soukkala. “We’re all normal and we have something that we do. It’s just how we understand it and how we cope with the people around us.”

The characters were written to show what it is like to have ADHD, and student actor Amelia Houle has some advice for us all.

“If you tell someone to sit down and why can’t you do this or why can’t you do that just know it is not really that easy. It’s more of a struggle. You can’t just say stand still or be still. It’s not that easy,” said Houle. “When you see Red fidgeting that is actually me because I fidget at lot.”

The camp is possible because of a partnership with Carlton County Reach program and Cloquet Alternative Education. Students also earn credits toward graduation by participating.