Cathy Rigby ‘Inspired’ By Sight-Impaired Thespian

By John Voket

As a former US Olympic star and the first American woman to medal in World Gymnastics in the 1970 games, Cathy Rigby undoubtedly inspired countless women to pursue the sport. And as an actress who has literally flown above audiences around the globe in her touring production of Peter Pan, she has thrilled children of all ages with her effervescence.

But on one recent morning at the Chevrolet Theater in Wallingford, it was Ms Rigby who was thrilled and inspired by a young man from Newtown. The former Olympian and fellow thespian spent nearly a half-hour visiting with Newtown High School sophomore Ryan Silveira, a sight-impaired student who aspires to have the lead in his senior musical and hopes to become a school choral and musical director some day.

The special visit was arranged as a job shadowing experience thanks to a cooperative arrangement between the State Board of Education & Services for the Blind and Jim Koplik Presents, the promoter at the theater. The meet and greet with Ms Rigby was originally planned as a quick handshake and autograph session, but the actress who portrays Peter in the whimsical traveling musical appeared to be so taken with the local student that she invited him to sit with her in the empty hall for an extended chat about their mutual theatrical experiences.

The actress first met Ryan backstage as she was about to host several media representatives including WTNH weatherman Matt Scott for “flying lessons” on the set of Peter Pan. As Ryan reached out to shake the hand of one of the many theatrical support staffers he met that day, he was unaware that he was meeting the lead performer.

“Wow, that’s quite a grip you have there,” Ms Rigby chided as she was introduced to the Newtown student. “I don’t know if I’m going to be able to spread any pixie dust with that hand now.”

A thrilled expression suddenly crossed Ryan’s face as he exclaimed, “Wait a minute, are you Cathy Rigby?”

“Well, if you want you can just call me Peter,” she answered before promising to chat a bit later if Ryan was willing to hang around through the media visit.

Of course, Ryan was more than willing to oblidge.

After sitting for about 20 minutes in the audience chatting with Mr Scott, who was happy to hear Ryan and his family watched him all the time on WTNH, the pixie-sized star of the show hopped down from the stage and took Ryan’s hand once again, this time leading him to an adjacent row of seats where they settled in for an extended discussion.

Ryan and Ms Rigby truly appeared to become fast friends as they traded stories about some of their own individual experiences. The actress recalled one of her more notorious goofs when she and an actress portraying Wendy had their flying cables reversed.

“There was a point where I was supposed to cue the crew to haul Wendy up into the air, and I said ‘…then just FLY,’ and I started rising up in the air while Wendy stayed firmly planted in her bed,” the actress recalled.

Ryan traded a story about the challenges that faced stage crews during last year’s NHS production of Show Boat, where during each performance, backstage hands had to carefully dock a three-story-high riverboat set piece.

“We were always wondering if that boat would make it to the dock,” Ryan recalled.

Ms Rigby was particularly drawn to the fact that Ryan had enjoyed such a diverse range of acting and performing experiences in his relatively short few years working in the theater, including his first role in a fourth grade musical, playing Captain Hook’s first mate Smee in — what else? — Peter Pan.

According to Ryan’s mom, Betsy Rickert, her has been sight-impaired since birth.

“But that never stopped him from participating as an actor and singer in many different productions,” Ms Rickert told The Bee in a subsequent interview.

During the break waiting to visit with Ms Rigby, Ryan chatted with Mr Scott, Barry Rita from the Board of Education’s department overseeing Ryan and many other sight-impaired students, and Adam Fragola and Jim Bozzi from the Koplik organization. He talked about how he was able to rely on other students to help him find his marks when he was starting in on stage roles.

“I think if I was familiar enough with the set, I could get around all by myself,” Ryan said.

While he has enjoyed the experience of acting in many ensemble performances going back to early grade school, Ryan said his true goal is to not only become a high school choral director, but to direct high school musicals and dramatic plays.

This aspiration was especially touching to Ms Rigby, who upon hearing about it started talking about the likelihood of Ryan working outside the established circles of organizations like theater for the blind, and moving into the realm of conventional theater, and especially musical theater.

“If anybody can do it, Ryan, I think you’ve got what it takes,” she told him.

Mr Rita said that he, too believed that Ryan would achieve his goals. He talked about the success his client is experiencing because of the guidance and support he receives both at home, as well as from teachers and fellow students at Newtown High School.

“I’d like to see Ryan take the next step by attending this summer’s Youth Leadership Project at UConn,” Mr Rita said. “I think he could really benefit from the team building exercises and participation in one of the student projects to help him build on the leadership skills he already has.”

Ryan’s mother said she began teaching Ryan about self-advocacy at a very young age, and that she helped organize other parents of sight-impaired and special needs children when her son was still an infant.

By the time Ryan was an adolescent, Ms Rickert said, she was volunteering with the New York Commission for the Blind. After moving to Newtown when Ryan was 12, she took a break from her public service for several years but recently returned to volunteering.

Ms Rickert recently helped Mr Rita and the Board of Education Services office start a new state chapter to support parents of children with sight issues.

“Parents of children in similar situations as Ryan have always called me asking for advice,” she said. “And I tell them to stand beside their children as advocates, but to teach their children to stand up for themselves. Ryan can do it, and he knows he can do it.”

She said by helping Ryan accept his personal challenges early on, it has helped him help himself in setting his own goals, making his own friends, and moving through his young life with confidence.

“There’s no denial in this kid, no holding back,” she said. “Ryan has so much to offer people, I never want to hold him back by being overprotective of him, or being fearful that he will get hurt because he experiences failure.

“And because of that, I’ve never found any reason to discourage him from interaction whether it’s in school, in chorus, or in the theater.”