SENSE Theatre® was founded by Blythe Corbett, Ph.D., a Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (VKC) member and professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and based on the three principles of using peers, play and performance to enhance social competence in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Blythe Corbett, Ph.D.
Corbett is an actor-turned-clinician-turned-scientist who embraces the worlds of art and science with equal fervor. SENSE Theatre is part of Corbett’s Social Emotional NeuroScience Endocrinology (SENSE) lab, which focuses on better understanding and treating social competence and stress in children, adolescents and adults with ASD.
“I see the theater as an ideal home for people with all abilities to learn to interact, discover their voices and create shared stories,” Corbett said.
The program was started in 2009 in Davis, CA, as a non-profit, and since coming to Vanderbilt, SENSE Theatre has expanded into a rigorous intervention research program funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the VKC and ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic partner of the Academy of Country Music. Since 2011, more than 450 youth and adults with ASD have participated in the intervention. Several randomized clinical trials have led to published findings of demonstrable changes in many areas of social competence in youth and adults with fewer support needs. However, children with more cognitive and language challenges are often excluded from such research – until now.
With generous support from the Vanderbilt Innovation Catalyst (ICF) Fund, Corbett and the SENSE team included youth with ASD and intellectual disability (ASD+ID) to engage in a pilot study to determine the acceptance and engagement with the program in youth between 10 to 16 years of age. In the fall of 2024 and summer of 2025, nine youth and an equal number of trained undergraduate students participated in the adapted program. Specifically, the frequency, duration and intensity of the sessions were modified to make them more agreeable. Corbett also created a new, slightly shorter play to ensure lively roles and a relatable story.
The play, “The Backstage Zoo,” is a parable about animals who are “anomalies” and therefore remain hidden from the public. The play with songs like “Weird and Wonderful” prompted the audience to consider relevant themes of acceptance, belonging, and how we respond to difference. As Corbett writes in the play, “Does it really matter if a zebra’s stripes are horizontal or vertical? … Why do people need to have everything be the same?”
Among the more important findings from the research, it appears that regardless of ability level, the children and youth in SENSE Theatre were engaged and highly motivated, and most didn’t want the curtain to close. One parent shared, “I can’t emphasize enough how much it meant to our child to experience an environment where her true self was accepted.”
“Theatre does that,” Corbett said. “It is a safe space for actors and audience to be accepting and welcoming especially when the story line takes an unexpected detour.”
SENSE Theatre has also allowed the talents of a young autistic musician, Drew Basham, to shine. Drew has served as the theatre’s accompanist since 2019, and according to his parents, Eric and Melissa Basham, “Drew relishes the opportunity to be a part of something so fun and entertaining. He loves being part of SENSE Theatre because it gives him the chance to help others on the autism spectrum. It also gives him a venue to showcase his talents and gives himself a feeling of accomplishment.”
“Dr. Blythe Corbett has not only been an advocate for Drew but countless participants in the program over the course of its existence,” the Bashams said. “We can only speak for our son, but she has made it a wonderful experience that makes us look forward to all the practices and the performances themselves.”
Pictured top of page: The Backstage Zoo performance. Photo by Erin O. Smith.
