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Our Story
Joining His World
Elaine Hall, "Coach E," was a top Hollywood children’s acting coach whose life changed dramatically after her toddler son, Neal, was diagnosed with autism. When traditional therapies did not work for him, she decided to try something radical: she chose to join his world instead of trying to get him to join hers. If he spun around in circles, she would spin with him, playing “Ring around the Rosie.” When he flapped his hands, as some children with autism do, she would flap with him, and they would become birds flying and flapping around the room.
Elaine sought out leading professionals in the field, such as Dr. Barry Prizant, Dr. Ricki Robinson, and the late Dr. Stanley Greenspan, who encouraged her to keep working with Neal in the way she had intuitively been doing. She then developed a methodology to teach other creative people (actors, dancers, musicians, creative special educators) how to understand autism so that they, too, could join Neal’s world. Through these methods, Neal slowly emerged out of his isolation – still autistic, still non-speaking – but connected, happy, and a multi-modality communicator. Elaine let go of both the ‘cure mentality’ (which was common for that time) and her desperate personal need to be ‘normal.’ Instead, she embraced their extraordinary lifestyle - full of love, appreciation, and acceptance.
The Miracle Project Begins
Elaine further developed these methods into the “Inclusion from WithIn (I WIn): The Seven Keys to Unlock and Understand Autism” methodology and began training staff and volunteers on how to work with and understand children with autism and other disabilities. Armed with a grant from The Jewish Community Foundation, in 2004, she combined her past theatrical and film coaching experience with her "Seven Keys to Unlock and Understand Autism" trainings and created The Miracle Project.
Immediately, the results from The Miracle Project were dramatic and empowering. Speaking and non-speaking children with autism and other disabilities participated in classes and performed live original musicals alongside their typically-developing siblings and peers to an audience moved to both laughter and tears. Most importantly, families who were once isolated and alone became part of a dynamic, creative community. Lifelong friendships formed between autistic and non-autistic individuals. Rather than being merely ‘included’ as in other programs at the time, The Miracle Project fostered a community of Belonging.
From Stage to Screen
In 2006, Bunim/Murray Productions profiled The Miracle Project in Autism: The Musical, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2007, aired on HBO in 2008, and won two Emmy Awards. In 2009, Autism: The Musical screened at the United Nations. The success of both The Miracle Project and the film has inspired communities throughout the world and has helped thousands of individuals with autism be seen, heard, and valued for who they truly are.
Global Reach
The Miracle Project offers in-person and online classes, professional development workshops, trainings, and summer camps. Programs are held nationally and internationally in locations such as New Jersey, New England, San Francisco, Hong Kong, and China, as well as through partnerships with universities including Brown University, UCLA, USC, NYU, and CalArts.
Changing the Entertainment Industry
Elaine has since re-entered the entertainment industry as one of Hollywood's first Access Consultants, ensuring accessibility and authentic representation on content developed by companies such as Netflix, Hulu, Shondaland, Amazon, Disney, HBO, CBS, and NBC. She was the Access Coordinator on the Los Angeles Barbie Premiere, ensuring individuals with disabilities could walk/roll down the ‘Pink Carpet.’ She consulted on the film, Ezra, starring Robert DeNiro, Bobby Cannavale, Tony Goldwyn, and helped cast the autistic newcomer, William Fitzgerald, in the lead role of Ezra. She worked with Jason Katims on the award-winning series As We See It; coached on the series Atypical, and consulted on/appeared in the Emmy-winning series Love on the Spectrum. Most recently, she was the access coordinator on The Accountant 2 and worked with the esteemed director, Yorgos Lanthimos, on Bugonia, which was released in late November 2025.
Elaine now embraces her own neurodivergence and helps others appreciate and understand their unique ways of being in the world. Elaine is committed to changing the way Hollywood represents neurodivergence and disability, as she believes that the media has the ability and responsibility to change the world's perception of disability.
The Research
The Miracle Project was the subject of a National Endowment for the Arts grant research project conducted by Cal State University Northridge in 2014. The study concluded that TMP’s inclusive theater model is an evidence-based intervention shown to significantly improve communication, social interaction, self-esteem, empathy, and peer connection in youth on the autism spectrum.
Awards and Appearances
The Miracle Project received the Genius of Autism Award, performed at Carnegie Hall, and has been featured at The United Nations for World Autism Awareness Day in 2009, 2013, 2018, and 2019. In 2009, the UN screened the two-time Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary Autism: The Musical. Elaine Hall’s memoir, Now I See the Moon, was the official selection for World Autism Awareness Day in 2011.
The Miracle Project and Elaine Hall have been featured on CNN, the Today Show, Oprah Winfrey Network, and CBS, in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Oprah Radio, NPR, and more.
Elaine Hall is a consultant and featured speaker for the United Nations and has been invited to the White House for discussions on disability and inclusion. She also serves as an on-set acting coach and advisor for Disney, Sony, Netflix, Amazon, and other media outlets.
Elaine has received numerous honors from leading autism and disability organizations, including commendation from the Mayor of Los Angeles, the prestigious Dream Award from the Disability Rights Legal Center, and induction into the Inaugural Kindness Hall of Fame, which led to her riding in the Rose Parade on New Year's Day 2025.
The Miracle Project began a training program at Brown University in 2017 and now has certified programs in Rhode Island (through Brown University), in New Jersey (Mayo Performing Arts Center), and in the San Francisco Bay Area. TMP has also held trainings in Ethiopia, Israel, China, Hong Kong, Argentina, and Canada.
Participants once too shy to even walk into a room of their peers have performed on some of the most prestigious stages including the Pantages, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the White House, and the United Nations. Others are pursuing careers in the entertainment industry and have had guest-starring and featured roles in television shows such as Parenthood, Speechless, Atypical, The Good Doctor, As We See It, and in the film Please Stand By starring Dakota Fanning. Elaine's son, still autistic and still non-speaking, used his iPad to present at the United Nations.
Most importantly, our participants and families who were once isolated and alone are now part of a dynamic, inclusive, neurodiverse community and experience a true sense of belonging.