Drumming up support for autism on Las Vegas Strip — PHOTOS
Leo Murphy, 11, follows along during a drum circle activity at the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Sunday, June 10, 2018. The event took place before the Blue Man Groups' Grant a Gift Autism Foundation benefit performance. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae
Linda Austin, known as "La", a Smith Center master teacher artist, leads a drum circle at the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Sunday, June 10, 2018. The event took place before the Blue Man Groups' Grant a Gift Autism Foundation benefit performance. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae
Analu Tam, 6, left, and his sister Kailana Tam, 9, laugh during a drum circle activity at the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Sunday, June 10, 2018. The event took place before the Blue Man Groups' Grant a Gift Autism Foundation benefit performance. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae
Analu Tam, 6, left, watches as his sister Kailana Tam, 9, grabs the hand of teacher Linda Austin during a drum circle activity at the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Sunday, June 10, 2018. The event took place before the Blue Man Groups' Grant a Gift Autism Foundation benefit performance. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae
Leo Murphy, 11, follows along during a drum circle activity at the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Sunday, June 10, 2018. The event took place before the Blue Man Groups' Grant a Gift Autism Foundation benefit performance. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae
Joseph Giannotta, 19, left, plays along in a drum circle with Leo Murphy, 11, at the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Sunday, June 10, 2018. The event took place before the Blue Man Groups' Grant a Gift Autism Foundation benefit performance. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae
Linda Austin, known as "La", a Smith Center master teacher artist, leads a drum circle at the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Sunday, June 10, 2018. The event took place before the Blue Man Groups' Grant a Gift Autism Foundation benefit performance. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae
Linda Austin, known as "La", a Smith Center master teacher artist, leads a drum circle at the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Sunday, June 10, 2018. The event took place before the Blue Man Groups' Grant a Gift Autism Foundation benefit performance. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae
Leo Murphy, 10, from left, Hailey Martin, 4, her father Sergio Martin, and her brother Esteban Martin, 9, participate in a drum circle outside the Blue Man Group show at the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Sunday, June 10, 2018. The event took place before the Blue Man Groups' Grant a Gift Autism Foundation benefit performance. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae
Before the Blue Man Group’s fourth annual Grant a Gift Autism Foundation benefit performance Sunday, children and parents huddled for a drum circle at the Luxor hotel-casino.
Linda Austin, a Smith Center master teacher-artist, started the drum circle by calling out each person’s name and playing music to each before having the crowd play along.
The Blue Man Group show that followed was made “sensor-friendly” with reduced lighting and sound levels for autistic attendees.
A portion of ticket sales will benefit to the Grant a Gift Autism Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps children and young adults and their families master autism by providing assessment and treatment funding as well as support services.
