INTERACTING

InterActing is a non-profit improv theater school that encourages autistic teenagers and students through improvisation skills to break out of their patterns of ritual and routine to embrace the unexpected. Through engaging exercises, we teach our students to become more flexible and confident, but most importantly we want them to have fun. 

Autistic teenagers often find conversations challenging and unpredictable. At the same time, they come into an age where they want to belong to the group, yet they have a harder time making connections with peers. This can lead to feeling misunderstood and they end up isolated. Improvisation helps them to cope better with the world, develop social-emotional skills, boost their self-confidence and make friends. In the Netherlands, there are about 50,000 children and young people with autism. From 2024, InterActing has a show team with up-and-coming talent in addition to its regular groups (aged 12 to 22).

 InterActing was founded in 2018 by Saskia Maas (co-founder of comedy institute Boom Chicago) and Pim Donkersloot, educator and family therapist. Maas has two children, including a son with autism, and Donkersloot is the father of two autistic children.

Having a neurodivergent son myself, it is important to keep raising awareness for autism on our way to a more inclusive society. Through improvisation, we at InterActing teach young people with autism, flexibility and self confidence so they can let go of their rituals and routines to embrace our scriptless world without fear.