On a recent afternoon, Robbie Grollman stands tall on stage, points toward a dragon covered in pink and purple sequins, and without hesitation, speaks his line:
She really gets mad none of us made it through.
Grollman, who is 35 and has Fragile X syndrome, a genetic condition that causes intellectual disability and behavioral and learning challenges, is a knight and a guard in “Shrek the Musical JR.” at Jerry’s Habima Theatre, Georgia’s only theatrical company directed and produced by professionals, featuring actors with special needs.
This year marks the 23rd season for Jerry's Habima Theatre. Year after year, actors with disabilities who often struggle fitting into mainstream society present a musical theatrical production to sell-out audiences and receive standing ovations night after night. Grollman who lives in the Dunwoody area, and graduated from Roswell High School, has been in every one of the shows for the past 15 years. Grollman's favorite roles include being a duckling in "Honk," a tough guy in "Footloose," and James Dean in "Happy Days."
And little by little, Grollman, who once held his head low and mumbled his lines at auditions, has built confidence that transcends the stage and overflows into his everyday life.
“At those first auditions, I remember thinking this is a very shy young man who is going to need a lot of encouragement,” said Susie Davidow, director of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta’s Blonder Family Department for Special Needs (of which Jerry’s Habima Theatre is a program). “He was polite and wanting to be part of the group, but he was a little outside the group.”
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