Spreading Microtia awareness in Georgia through the children’s play, “Finding Nemo Jr.”!

How one family is giving back to the microtia and atresia community through Ear Community and the arts!

Finding Nemo Jr. children’s play in Georgia during August 9th, 10th and 11th, 2024 with the Thomaston Upson Arts Council

Lauren and Paxton Hoyal during the Finding Nemo Jr. children’s play at the Thomaston Upson Art Council in Thomaston, Georgia, August, 2024.

Meet Lauren Hoyal! Lauren is the Children’s Art Director with the Thomaston Upson Arts Council (TUAC) in Georgia. Lauren had a vision of educating the community about a rare condition her son, Paxton, was born with. Paxton was born without one ear (microtia) and has hearing loss due to a missing ear canal (aural atresia). Lauren and her family immediately thought of “Finding Nemo” as something everyone could embrace and have a connection with if they are missing an ear – like Nemo’s fin. Filled with excitement, Lauren began planning for a children’s play called “Finding Nemo Jr.!”

As a member of the Board, Lauren shared in a community press release that “TUAC started something new this year called “Shows with a Purpose”. She explained that “We wanted to not only teach our summer campers about the show but also teach them life skills such as compassion and giving back. Although we are small, we can still make a difference! This year we are thrilled to support The Ear Community which is near and dear to my heart! As a community we raised $1000! That brings me to tears! Thank you so much for supporting Microtia and Atresia and bringing awareness! It is so important to teach our children that people who are unique and different deserve love!”

Finding Nemo Jr. showed over three nights on August 9th, 10th and 11th, bringing together over 500 community members with a cast of over 85 children! Lauren wanted to make sure anyone attending with microtia and atresia would have free entry and be given the chance to share their journey living with microtia and atresia at the beginning of the play. She even made sure everyone wore blue awareness wristbands to support our cause! Lauren, her husband Perry, daughter Vada and Paxton, shared at the beginning of the play why it’s important to them to spread awareness and talk about differences, acceptance and kindness. They also shared why they support the Ear Community Organization and it’s mission after struggling to find the answers they were looking for from their doctors while searching for others in the same situation so they don’t feel so alone.

Finding Nemo, Jr. was a huge success in Thomaston, Georgia during the three days of this play’s performance! So many children and adults were involved in making each performance go off without a hitch and pouring their passion and joy into these nights of education and awareness! A close friend of Lauren’s stated that “Lauren Hoyal, our fearless Director had a vision and put it on stage! But what you don’t see is her backstage going to each student telling them that they are special and loved while putting jewels on the little girls’ faces and hugging every one of them! She is creating a culture of love first and the show second!” As they say – it takes a village! Thank you to choreographer, Rachel Jordan, started as a four year old in this program and just wanted to give back! Campbell DeVore and Taylor Walker also came back as camp staff! Our Tech Camp director Leigh DeVore who every day showed up even when it was a hard summer and loved our tech students! Hats off to her assistant Abby Kinard! Thank you to the show’s producer, Amanda Holt, and of course to Lauren – who brought some epic costumes to life during Finding Nemo Jr. and kudos to Cindy Thompson for all photo credits! Thank you to some of the children in the cast who also hosted a lemonade stand to help raise funds for TUAC! A very special thank you to Carmen Ellerbee, TUAC’s Executive Director, for helping work with Lauren and the community to make this play possible through the Arts Council and for wanting to help give back to another nonprofit, helping make a difference together! Carmen believes in the Thomaston community and the families that make up this beautiful community, like the Hoyal Family! It was a beautiful night of education, awareness and giving back on everyone’s part! To learn more about The Thomaston Upson Arts Council, please visit https://www.tuacga.com/

Here is a wonderful video from the Hoyal Family sharing more about microtia and atresia and the Ear Community Organization!
https://fb.watch/ufigZSff_d/

The Ear Community Organization plans to share the play on National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day on November 9th with the microtia and atresia community since so many community members asked about this play even though they do not live in the state of Georgia! Thank you so very much to Lauren, Perry, Vada and Paxton Hoyal for wanting to spread awareness and promote education about microtia and aural atresia in their community in Georgia! Thank you for thinking of our community & for wanting to give back to our Organization so we can continue doing more good work! A very special thank you to the Thomaston Upson Art Council too for all the good they do in the Thomaston community and to Tidal Wave Auto Spa who was this year’s corporate sponsor for this play and to the arts council! We think it is wonderful that “Shows with a Purpose” will go on to educate many more about rare causes and conditions within the community! Thank you for shining a light on microtia and atresia as the first of many “Shows with a Purpose”!
Melissa Tumblin
Executive Director
EarCommunity.org

Here are some fun memories from Finding Nemo Jr!