Ohio
Broadway’s “How to Dance in Ohio” shines a light on autistic stories
Clinical psychologist Emilio Amigo, who runs a counseling center for autistic people in Columbus, Ohio, had a big idea: “Many of my clients never went to their homecoming or prom because they weren’t welcomed,” he said. “I’m like, ‘How many of you guys would love to go to a big formal?’”
Putting on a prom involved teaching his clients new skills, like dancing or asking someone out. Their journey was the subject of a 2015 documentary called “How to Dance in Ohio.”
That story is now a Broadway musical.
“All of us who work on the show get messages from autistic individuals saying, ‘I’ve seen myself represented onstage.’ That’s what we do it for,” said Sammi Cannold, the show’s director. She was not, however, its first one. That was the legendary Hal Prince, director of shows like “Phantom of the Opera,” “Evita,” “Cabaret,” and many Sondheim musicals. He sadly passed away in 2019.
“Hal’s granddaughter is autistic; my brother is autistic,” said Cannold. “For him the show was very personal; for me the show is very personal.”
But “How to Dance in Ohio” isn’t just about autistic people. All of the autistic characters are played by autistic actors.
Cannold said feedback she got from people saying, “I don’t think you’re gonna find the actors that you’re looking for,” implied that there aren’t enough Broadway-caliber actors with autism. But, she said, “We could’ve cast the show three times over.”
Ashley Wool, Imani Russell and Liam Pearce are among the show’s autistic actors. “I think you’ve picked the perfect three people, because all three of us are so different,” said Pearce.
Pearce was diagnosed as being on the spectrum when he was age five; Wool was a junior in college. And Russell said it was May 2021 when she was diagnosed: “And I was really excited, ’cause I finally had a word for something that I think I knew about myself, internally, for a long time, but I didn’t have the language for.”
Autism comes in a huge variety of forms; it’s described as a spectrum for a reason.
Amigo said, “The great enemy of someone who’s autistic is social anxiety and anxiety. And that comes from, ‘I don’t know what to expect, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, I don’t know what to say.’”
Wool said, “People like me are more sensitive to a lot of different things, like lights or sounds.”
“I think another thing, when it comes to being autistic, is the concept of masking,” said Russell, “which is sort of having to hide the movements that we do, or the sounds that we make, or having to speak at times that you don’t want to speak to make other people feel comfortable.”
The actors were encouraged to blend their own expressions of autism with their characters’. Pearce said, “Sammi Cannold, our director, was very open and supporting of being, like, ‘If you, onstage, feel the need to let out your energy or, like, show your excitement in your own, individual, physical ways that you do outside of this rehearsal space, feel free.’”
The rehearsal process offered unusual accommodations for the cast and crew, like someone saying they have a sensitivity to scented soap: “And then our company management team will say, ‘Okay, we’re gonna replace all the scented soap in the building with unscented soap,’” said Cannold. “And so, it’s hundreds of little things like that.”
For autistic showgoers with sensory sensitivities, the show offers cool-down areas, sunglasses, and headphones.
And for non-autistic audience members, there’s a message.
Do I only exist on this planet
to make somebody else feel inspired?
–”Nothing at All,” from “How to Dance In Ohio”
Pogue said, “While the characters explicitly sing, ‘We don’t want to be objects of pity, we don’t want to be inspiring,’ at the same time, there’s probably not an audience member who doesn’t say, ‘It’s about people with challenges succeeding,’ which is inspiring.”
Russell said, “I like to pose the question, is your feeling of inspiration just infantilization? They’re so inspiring because they’re autistic, but they did that? Autistic, but they did that? It’s not that our disabilities are the hurdles. It’s other people’s expectations for us that are the hurdles.”
Wool added, “The point that we’re making is, it’s not an ‘In spite of…’ It’s a ‘Yes, and…’”
“How to Dance in Ohio” has earned itself an army of fans. Wool recalled at the very first preview, “The seven of us came on stage to do the prologue — standing ovation, for like a minute-and-a-half. I was like, ‘Wait a minute. We haven’t done anything yet! We haven’t earned this!’”
“It’s so cool, at our stage door and stuff, like, young kids have come up to me like, ‘I’m autistic, too!’” said Pearce.
But some of the biggest fans are the real people from the documentary. Sammi Cannold introduced them on opening night, including the real-life Drew – Pearce’s character. “It was a really crazy, awesome, surreal experience to be able to, like, look at him and be like, ‘Hey, thank you for existing, because my entire life and what I do here every night, is because of you.’”
Dr. Amigo liked it, too. He said he’s seen it “a few times. if I’m counting right, it’s about 13.”
Do the show and the documentary help his clients in any way? “Every day,” he said. “Because it’s a story about them. It builds our self-esteem. It builds our sense of significance.”
When cast members were asked how they hope their show will be perceived in the future, Russell said, “Oh, ‘How to Dance in Ohio,’ that was one of the beginnings.”
“A turning point,” said Wool.
Amigo said, “I hope that in ten years, it’s no longer a big deal that there are seven autistic actors in a cast. Like, ‘Okay. So what? That’s great. Let’s go. Let’s start working on a play!’”
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Story produced by Wonbo Woo. Editor: Steven Tyler.
People like to say America doesn’t make things anymore. Some folks even believe that’s a good thing. There’s no better way to prove them wrong than a trip to the Ohio cities of Clyde and Marion. As our nation seeks to bring more production back home, Northwest Ohio is living proof that — with a talented workforce, a level playing field and business leaders committed to the local economy — the best days for American manufacturing are yet to come.
Even as some companies took factories and jobs overseas, manufacturing has remained the beating heart of the Buckeye State. Across Ohio, manufacturing is responsible for nearly a fifth of our state’s GDP. The manufacturing sector here has been steadily growing over the last several years, now employing more than 680,000 workers. Since the pandemic, Ohio has added 100,000 manufacturing jobs, and the sector now boasts the highest payroll of any industry in the state.
This resurgence is particularly visible in our communities. In November, we were honored to stand alongside Whirlpool Corp. as it marked its 114th anniversary after announcing a $300 million investment in its U.S. laundry operations in both Clyde and Marion the prior month. That investment will create up to 600 new jobs between our two cities, and it sends a clear message that reaches far beyond Ohio: America still knows how to build.
In Clyde, you see that pride in people like Mike Monday, who has worked at the plant for 45 years without missing a single day. Or Jason Alejandro, a third-generation Whirlpool employee who joined the company after eight years serving in the U.S. Air Force and just celebrated his 19th anniversary at the Clyde factory.
In Marion, it lives in the lives of nearly 2,000 employees, including Angel Siebold, a single mother who started wiring machines on the shop floor 22 years ago and has been promoted through the ranks to where she now leads operations at the company’s second-largest facility. Her story, like so many others in Ohio, shows how opportunity grows when companies invest in people and people invest back.
None of this is an accident. Clyde and Marion have spent decades building the foundation where manufacturing can thrive. We’ve built infrastructure that helps keep supply chains moving and workers connected. Our regional partnerships — with JobsOhio, One Columbus, and the Regional Growth Partnership — helped make this investment possible.
Our goal has been simple: Create places where industry and people can grow together. We’ve focused on creating a smart, sustainable economic environment that good employers want to be a part of, so they can hire our neighbors, invest in our communities and give our kids a reason to stay. Companies like Whirlpool have noticed that commitment and met it with their own.
That’s the ripple effect of trust between companies and communities. When a company puts down roots and keeps faith with its people, those roots deepen. Loyalty, earned over decades, pays dividends in skill, reliability and pride.
Clyde and Marion are proud to be part of that story and determined to keep writing it. Our communities and partners stand as proof that American manufacturing is not fading, but a cornerstone that supports families and sustains our country’s promise.
In an age when so much feels uncertain, we still believe that when America builds at home, we create hope and opportunity. If you want to know where manufacturing is headed, look to Clyde, Marion and the places across Ohio where it never left.
Doug McCauley is the mayor of Clyde, Ohio, and Bill Collins is the mayor of Marion, Ohio.
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* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.
* Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this opinion column to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com.
AKRON, Ohio (WOIO) – High tech police drones are responding quickly to emergencies, offering a bird’s-eye view from the skies. And their use by local police departments is taking off.
Police in northeast Ohio believe using ‘drones as first responders’ will make the community safer and protect their officers too.
19 Investigates got a rare look behind the scenes to show you how it works and how drones can be deployed without an officer on scene.
Skydio, headquartered in California, makes these drones.
They brought a “demo dock” to Akron police to show us how dock-based drones work and allow drones to respond immediately to calls.
“It’s all about safety. We’re all about making the officers more safe, making the community more safe. And that’s really the end goal here,” said Noreen Charlton.
Charlton leads public safety strategy for Skydio.
She said police officers don’t have to be expert drone pilots to operate them.
That’s why they built a drone that is easy to fly.
“So the Skydio drones are constantly building the environment around themselves so that they know where they are flying and you can confidently fly without having to worry about crashing,” Charlton said.
Drones as first responders
Charlton believes “drones as first responders” is changing policing.
Officers responding to emergencies don’t have to fly a drone on their own anymore if their agency uses a dock-based system that houses and launches the drones from locations across a city.
Instead, they can rely on other officers who remotely control the drones from a command center set up at police headquarters or another location.
Police departments in cities across the country are installing these docks, which pair with the drones Skydio manufactures.
“We’re getting the drone in the air and overhead in less than two minutes, which means that the responding officers can watch this live stream from the drone while they are en route to the call,” Charlton said.
Charlton said that ability is providing officers better situational awareness when they arrive on scene.
“They can slow down, they can make better tactical decisions, and this is leading to the ability to de-escalate situations and reducing potential use of force,” she said.
She said faster response times using drones are even capturing crime in progress.
“We’re getting video evidence of that, which is leading to faster case resolution and holding people accountable for the crimes that they’re committing in these communities,” Charlton said.
There are also smaller drones for flying inside.
Skydio said these drones gives officers eyes inside before they enter a building.
Drone docks in action
We watched a demonstration of how the drone docks work from the top of the roof of the Akron police headquarters, a high-rise building towering over South High Street.
This was a ‘demo dock’ set up temporarily by SkyDio.
A drone sat inside of the dock while the police drone pilots operated it from a command center several floors below.
The dock started beeping and opened and the drone readied for takeoff, its blades spinning.
After a simple command, it lifted up into the sky over the city and traveled to wherever police needed it to go.
“With the click of a button, the drone is flying there on its own. The officer can take over at any point,” Charlton said. “There is always an operator or a pilot in a chair somewhere, a dispatch center or a real-time crime center that is controlling the drone.”
Drones can come back to the dock when they need to charge. Another drone can be sent out in the meantime if a call comes in.
Law enforcement agencies can place docks like this where they get the most calls for service.
The drones have red and blue lights so it’s clear they are operated by law enforcement, Charlton said. They also have speakers to talk to people.
They can fly in extreme heat and cold and handle windy conditions.
Akron police advancing drone program
Akron police have seven drones with 20 pilots right now and four more drones on the way.
The drones have been used to chase suspects, help with search and rescue missions and missing children investigations.
Lt. Michael Murphy with Akron police said drones have been a game changer.
They believe it will reduce violent crime in the city and keep officers safe too.
“It makes this job much safer for our officers because it gives us the ability to view things without having to put the officers in danger, in harm’s way,” Murphy said.
Akron police are not operating the drones with docks yet.
They said they hope to rollout at least three docks in the city this year for their next steps in their “Drones as First Responders” (DFR) program.
They said they already have all of the required FAA waivers and are looking into grants to help pay for them.
Akron police said the drones cost about $15-16,000.
Ohio agencies using Skydio drones
Six law enforcement agencies in Ohio use Skydio drones including Cleveland police.
Cleveland police said they have nine Skydio drones and seven pilots with their FAA certification and they’re considering getting the docks in the future.
Cincinnati police is the only agency in Ohio using dock-based drones right now, according to Skydio.
The company serves more than 800 public safety agencies across the country.
Privacy concerns addressed
Some citizens and experts have concerns about police drones, from privacy to surveillance.
The American Civil Liberties Union recognizes “drones have many beneficial uses” for police but recommends proper regulation and safeguards. The organization suggests limiting drone usage to incidents involving warrants, emergencies or specific crime evidence collection.
And when it comes to data retention, the ACLU recommends agencies only save images that may contain evidence of a crime or are relevant to an ongoing investigation or trial.
We asked SkyDio about these privacy concerns.
“Most agencies are developing policies around their DFR program being specifically for response to calls for service,” Noreen Charlton said. “So the community members calling in something to 911 and then using the drone for that and being very explicit about not using them for surveillance,” she said.
Many police agencies using drones maintain transparency dashboards showing flight information to the public. Cleveland police operates a transparency dashboard you can see here.
Akron Police do not have a dashboard, but they said they have plans for one in the near future.
Need an investigation? Contact 19 Investigates with your request.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Pickerington North’s JR Bates hits buzzer-beater to beat Walnut Ridge
Pickerington North’s JR Bates makes a buzzer-beating 3-pointer for a 72-69 win over Walnut Ridge in The Challenge on Jan. 10 at Africentric.
This is the first in-season USA Today Co. Ohio High School Boys Basketball Super 25 Poll of the 2025-26 season, featuring voters from across the state. The Ohio Super 25 ranks the teams we believe are the state’s 25 best, regardless of division.
The Ohio Super 25 Boys Basketball Poll will be conducted weekly throughout the remainder of the regular season using a panel of sports writers and sports editors from across the state’s USA Today network. Each voter submits a Top 25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.
Here’s a look at our rankings as the eighth week of the regular season plays out.
Ohio high school boys basketball rankings – Jan. 12, 2025
| Rank | Team | Total points | First-place votes |
| 1 | West Chester Lakota West | 307 | 10 |
| 2 | Cle. Hts. Lutheran East | 249 | |
| 3 | Newark | 228 | |
| 4 | Cin. Princeton | 220 | |
| 5 | Lima Senior | 203 | |
| 6 | Westerville North | 195 | |
| 7 (tie) | Brecksville-Broadview Heights | 192 | 1 |
| 7 (tie) | Mason | 192 | |
| 9 | Cle. St. Ignatius | 187 | 1 |
| 10 | Hilliard Bradley | 182 | |
| 11 | Gates Mills Gilmour Academy | 166 | |
| 12 | Cin. Wyoming | 165 | 1 |
| 13 | Delphos St. John’s | 161 | |
| 14 | Massillon Washington | 158 | |
| 15 | Lakewood St. Edward | 157 | |
| 16 (tie) | Brunswick | 155 | |
| 16 (tie) | Cin. St. Xavier | 155 | |
| 18 | Cin. Winton Woods | 154 | |
| 19 (tie) | Maria Stein Marion Local | 137 | |
| 19 (tie) | Cin. Moeller | 137 | |
| 21 | Reynoldsburg | 135 | |
| 22 | Cin. La Salle | 126 | |
| 23 | Centerville | 97 | |
| 24 (tie) | Toledo St. John’s | 92 | |
| 24 (tie) | Cin. Taft | 92 |
Other schools receiving votes
Steubenville, Toledo Central Catholic, Trotwood-Madison, Alliance and Chaney.
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