Dylan Pratt’s story and the story of everyone with disabilities

SUBMITTED BY KATIE WRIGHT & DYLAN PRATT

Katie Wright tells her storyI met Dylan Pratt in 2018. During that time, I remember him telling me his stories and goals and dreams that he had wanting to get into show business. I wasn't sure at the time what to think of it because I know how hard it is to get into show business. But eventually, within time, he proved himself able to accomplish it.

Dylan and I have similar dreams. He wanted to do show business in a theater; I wanted to do stuff in music and have a place to do original music. What happened is both our dreams merged into one and eventually he got his dad to start renting spaces in theaters, and we've been able to put on a show once a year. We've done performances at the Branson Event Center and the Columns Theater. The two of us have been able to do small events, too, like festivals—the Autumn Daze festival— and charity events, as well—for the Jimmy Jack Foundation, and this year we have a lot more stuff planned. Along the way we've been able to get our friends to back us up, like my mom Joan Wright, Eric Pemberton, Spencer Coffman, the Clemon sisters, Lukas Gardner, Brian Reed, Sarah Cox and so many others. I have a lot to be grateful for.

Where Dylan is concerned, if it wasn't for God/Jesus, Dylan and his dad Dennis Pratt, none of us would have this opportunity to get a message out to people that people with disabilities have just as much God-given talent to be on a stage to perform as much as anyone else does.

Dylan's show has also helped a variety of different people have a platform to use their talent on a stage, for music groups like MasterPeace founded by Joan and Katie Wright and The Clemon Sisters founded by Wendi Beberstein. Part of the reason Dylan and I wanted to get this message out is because lots of people have a tendency to underestimate people with disabilities. They think they’re only good at basic things or they can only go so far. We also wanted to remind people that God loves people with disabilities as much as anyone else and this is why we're doing this and have been doing this.

Dylan Pratt’s storyI always had a love of performing since I was two years old when I was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome and high functioning autism. My first open door to the world of the performing arts was hearing about Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” from an old “Barney the Dinosaur” movie in 1998. Around 1999 I found out more about my hometown Branson, Missouri, and the variety of shows that there were and that my dad worked for Mel Tillis.

I knew from that one day I would want to be a performer in the next generation of the Branson entertainment industry. After I graduated Riverview Christian High School in 2014, I started a career in acting and musical theater, starting at Springfield Little Theater. But eventually opportunities in musical theater started opening up in Branson, Missouri. In 2018 I started working and performing at the Branson Regional Arts Council, until 2020. We were working on getting ready to open a production of the “Odd Couple” right when the COVID-19 pandemic came along. During the lockdown, I knew that I was never going to give up on my dreams, and I had high hopes to fulfill my dream of my own variety show. So, I contacted multiple people to see if I could get help fulfilling my dream. Eventually I got in touch with the director of the “Odd Couple” at BRAC and told him my dream. Being well aware of my special ability, he suggested that it should be a show aimed towards autism awareness.

The first show I did in 2021 was a one-man show with my dad and a local dance troupe. After a two-year break and after doing what was called a special abilities showcase at BRAC that I inspired, I wanted to do another show and feature other performers on the spectrum or with other special abilities, and that’s how The Dylan Pratt Variety Show for Autism Awareness was created.

For more information or questions, you can contact Katie Wright on Facebook or Dylan Pratt on Facebook. The Dylan Pratt show is scheduled to be at the Branson Event Center at Branson Meadows, August 23, 2026 at 2 p.m.