As Jan Monroe planned a drama camp for children with disabilities, she looked to an HBO documentary for inspiration.

The film "Autism: The Musical" features a group of children with the disorder who creates a play through The Miracle Project, a nonprofit acting group for children with autism.

Los Angeles-based acting coach and writer Elaine Hall started The Miracle Project six years ago after using drama with her son, Neal, who has autism.

He was diagnosed as a toddler 14 years ago, when the disorder was known mainly through the movie "Rain Man."

"Not many people knew about autism. The therapies at the time were all about controlling a child and holding their hands down," Hall said in a telephone interview.

"But I joined my son's world. If he would flap his hands, I would flap my hands. If he would spin in circles, I would spin in circles.

"I joined his world, and what happened was that he started to join my world. And the traditional therapists thought I was crazy."

But her friends from the acting world--Hall worked on movies and TV shows--were crazy enough to join in. And the actors, singers and artists could reach Neal in a way traditional therapy could not.

Hall wanted to offer this creative form of help to other families, so she created The Miracle Project. Her dream "that everyone gets a voice" grew, and Hall now counsels people around the world on how to combine theater and autism.

On Wednesday, her book "Now I See The Moon: A Mother, A Son, A Miracle" hits stores. A CD based on songs written for the project's plays will feature duets between people with autism and celebrities. The CD, "Fly," will release this spring and the title track was written by a nonverbal child with autism.

Hall has spoken about autism to the United Nations and to national conventions.

"My goal is to change the way the world sees autism," she said.

Hall is also working to create a curriculum other programs could use to create their own projects.

She's talked with people in India, the Philippines and Israel about re-creating The Miracle Project.

"It's thrilling to me, and I'm hoping this is going to be the norm," Hall said. "My dream is that there will be a Miracle Project in every single community."

And as the effort spreads, Hall also hopes that everyone will learn the lessons autism has taught her.

"Autism has been the greatest gift I've ever experienced," she said. "I always wanted, looked for, prayed for normal. And now, the miraculous has trumped the normal."

themiracleproject.com coacheonautism.com

Amy Flowers Umble: 540/735-1973
Email: aumble@freelancestar.com