Theater for Dessert, a program from Books for Dessert, offers adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to bring books to life while learning theater skills. This interactive ten-week theatrical program enables participants to shine on and off the stage. Selected books are adapted to a theatrical script, with permission of the author, adding in music, staging and more. The participants work with a team of industry professionals to participate in acting and in creating costumes, props and sets. Now in its fourth year, these productions have wowed audiences of family, friends and community members and of course, the participants.

Elise May, Program Director for Theater for Dessert, is a Teaching Artist with original award-winning Arts-in-Education programs (Storytime Theater, Expressive Elocution, Multicultural Voices, Creative Readers – an arts education inclusion program and winner of the 2017 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award) that use theater arts for communication empowerment and community development with all populations. Elise is on the Steering Committee for the Arts for All Abilities Consortium in NYC, where she has produced and moderated events and Professional Development for those who work with students with disabilities. 

Past productions include:

“Museum of Oddities” by Susan Thompson (June, 2025) about a mystery in a weird museum. 

Rehearsing the mystery, “The Museum of Oddities

Rehearsing a song and dance for “The Museum of Oddities”

“The Italian Cure” by Melodie Campbell (June, 2024) features adventures in Rome and Sorrento, filled with comedic mishaps. 

Dress and dance rehearsal for “The Italian Cure”

“The Crime Club” by Melodie Campbell (June, 2023), is a fast-paced thriller that tackles themes of friendship, finding a new start, and solving a cold case. 

Performance of the mystery who-dun-it, “The Crime Club”

The Theater for Dessert production for 2026 “Worst Date Ever” (by Melodie Campbell) starts rehearsals the first week Tuesday in April at 7:00 p.m.  Would you like to join us? Click here to apply: 

https://pwlibrary.wufoo.com/forms/xy1mhtq1n3wsyt/

2026 Theater for Dessert schedule:

Past support for Theater for Dessert includes funding from the Port Washington Public Library “Library Foundation,” along with grants from HEARTS Port Washington, the Whelan Foundation, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by Huntington Arts Council.