Man with Autism strives for Broadway

• Watching a stage production of "The Lion King" changed his life
• Daniel Perkins loves theater props backstage: "Every theater has what I call nuggets of awesomeness"
• His other interests include hanging out with friends, watching movies and playing board games
• He wants to get his bachelor's degree in theater

A fascinated Daniel Perkins walked on the King Center stage and stared at empty chairs.

There was no show being performed, no audience, no applause — yet the young man with Autism felt a jolt.

Because for Perkins, the theater represents his happy place.

"As soon as you are up on that stage, it doesn't matter who you are. People don't care what you look like, people don't care if you have disabilities or things like that," said the 21-year-old college student with Autism and Asperger syndrome, a developmental disorder that affects social interaction and nonverbal communication. "I really like theater because it lets me express myself the way I would like to express myself without having to worry what other people think."

He recently wrapped his second year as a student at CIP Brevard and as an intern at nearby King Center for the Performing Arts. Perkins hopes to someday work at a theater. His ultimate dream job? Broadway.

“A lot of people think that it’s a very specific skill set and if you don’t have A, B and C that you’re probably not going to be very successful," said Perkins. "At least in my opinion, that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Perkins' mother, Nancy, couldn't be prouder. During the past seven years, she's seen her youngest child grow by "leaps and bounds."

"He used to get suspended from elementary school," said Nancy Perkins, who lives part-time in Massachusetts and Jupiter, Florida, with husband, Larry. "He was being bullied, and he got suspended because someone else pushed him" and he would push back.

Middle school was hard, too. "It was really painful because kids could be bullies," she said.

After eighth grade, Perkins' parents enrolled him in private school. He attended three specialized academies for students with challenges — each in a different state.

"I didn't think he would graduate high school," said Nancy Perkins.

She credits Logan River Academy, a residential treatment center in Logan, Utah, for finally helping her son. Though many students attend Logan to heal from emotional trauma, the Perkins felt the staff was very nurturing, and many of the students were on the Autism spectrum.

"It was tough love" sending him away, said Nancy Perkins, but "we gave him what he needed, which was the independence to learn about himself."

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After five years of high school (he repeated 10th grade) at three different academies, Daniel Perkins graduated in 2015. His graduation gift? A trip to New York City with older siblings Maxwell and Hanna to attend the Tony Awards.

"That was such an amazing honor, I couldn't have been more blessed to have that experience," he said.

These days, Perkins attends CIP Brevard in Melbourne, a college internship program that helps young adults with disabilities transition from high school to college and the workplace. The CIP staff recognizes Perkins as a model advocate for Autism awareness.

"Many of us are very smart and can do the same job that other people — quote-unquote normal people — can do," said Perkins. "Just because we don't understand the world in the same way doesn't mean that we're not trying our best to."

CIP students build good habits and learn what Perkins calls "executive functioning" — banking, budgeting and career prep.

Jennifer Kolarik, lead career coordinator at CIP Brevard, described Perkins as a star student, noting his motivation. “I think that carries Dan far," she says.

She foresees him working at a professional theater someday. “He has the passion,” she said. “He needs to get that hands-on experience backstage, and I think that’s the next step for him."

After the semester ends, Perkins will travel to North Carolina for an unpaid internship at a theater.

[  TUNE IN:  Listen to Daniel Perkins share his love of theater and what it means to be a strong advocate for Autism awareness ]

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Although he has performed in a school production of "Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical" and enjoys watching theatrical productions, Perkins said he prefers working behind the scenes.

Peg Girard, artistic director of Melbourne Civic Theatre, said Perkins is on the right track to making his dream come true. With "education and experience, the more you know about the part of theater you want to do the better," she said, citing stage management, lighting, sound and directing. "You need as much knowledge as you can. Internships are a great way to get experience as well.

"New York is a tough place for anyone," she added. "Stepping stones and best of luck to him."

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It's a welcome challenge for Perkins, whose journey has had its share of dramatic ups and downs.

"Before, he was just a kid at home playing 'Minecraft,'" said Nancy Perkins. "Now, he wants to see the world."

“I’d love to one day be performing on a big Broadway stage and at the end just take my bow and have everyone standing up and clapping for me and the work that I did," said Daniel Perkins. "That would really be a dream come true."

Sangalang is FLORIDA TODAY's entertainment reporter.

Contact Sangalang at 321-242-3630

or jsangalang@floridatoday.com.

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