COEUR d’ALENE — Olya Scheel has spent the majority of her life in a wheelchair.

She was born without the proper function of her legs and only now, at the age of 21, is she learning to walk.

"I just started walking in May, so it’s kind of new,” she said in a shy voice Wednesday evening.

This bold young lady isn't going to keep this special time to herself. With the help of leg braces, she plans to walk on stage during some of her part as Babette in Out of the Shadows Theater's production of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast Jr."

"Actually, walking has been my dream," Scheel said. "I’m really excited for walking."

And her shadow actor and good pal, Noelle Thruman, 20, will be right by her side.

"It inspires me, for sure, because I take walking for granted... I meet Olya and I’m like, ‘I’m such a horrible human being,’ because she’s always so happy and she just makes the best of it and she never gives up. That’s what I've noticed. She never gives up," Thruman said, smiling at her friend. "If she falls I’ll be there to catch her."

Scheel and Thruman are just two Out of the Shadows actors with inspiring stories of friendship and perseverance to share. The production of "Beauty and the Beast Jr." is the debut project for the program, which takes individuals of all levels of disabilities out of the shadows and places them in the spotlight.

The cast members vary in disabilities from Down syndrome and autism to multiple scelerosis and physical disability caused by stroke. They range in age from 9-62 and will be singing and dancing as they bring the love story of Belle and the Beast to life.

"It’s a bouquet. They’re a bunch of beautiful flowers,” said Out of the Shadows founder Wendy Carroll. “It’s not going to be the best ever, but it’s going to be their best, and that’s all we want. And it's going to be outstanding. These guys are so excited."

The disabled actors will be accompanied by able-bodied shadow actors, like Thruman, who will blend in and assist wherever needed. Carroll said for many of the able-bodied volunteers, it's their first time working with people with disabilities.

"It’s pretty life-changing, it really is," she said. "A lot of the shadows would never have the opportunity in the course of their life to even cross paths with people with special needs. Now they’re working one-on-one and just discovering this whole world. It’s new to them, but it's a wonderful world."

Trevor Kirsebom, 27, of Post Falls, is ecstatic to play the suave candelabra Lumière.

"This is what I’m wearing,” he said with a big smile, flashing a phone photo of himself in costume.

He said the best part of being in the play is "just being with friends."

Jesse Christensen, 21, of Coeur d’Alene, plays Beast. He said he was nervous at first, but "now I’m actually kind of excited to do it.

"Once I found out what play we were putting on, I was all for it," he said.

Joyce Peterson of Post Falls went to rehearsal Wednesday with her grandson, Brendon Smith, 19, who plays a villager and the "dying" Beast. She said since rehearsals began in July, her grandson has really come out of his shell.

"Two weeks ago, all of a sudden, this other kid pops out, so, ‘What happened to the other Brenden who didn’t want to do this?’” she said. "Now he’s singing and asking, 'When are we coming again?’ I’m shocked."

She said most of the time, people with special needs have sports, but a theatrical production gives them an entirely different creative activity.

"I can't remember, except the Special Olympics, that there's been something like this," she said. "I think it will be good for the community to see that these guys can do something besides Special Olympics. They have to memorize lines and positions, and with some of them, I'm amazed."

Carroll said she knew this magic of socialization and confidence would happen once the program got going. She has talked to similar program directors in other communities and heard of their success, such as a theater group in Scottsdale, Ariz., which has been doing it for 17 years and now performs two shows a year.

"They went from a 200-seat theater to a 400-seat theater to an 800-seat theater," Carroll said. “And it's packed every performance."

Carroll said her cast has really "jelled" and improved in many ways.

"The reading comprehension skills for some of them have just gone through the roof, my son particularly,” she said. “He started reading the script every night. He never reads anything.

"We’ve seen them coming out of their shells. They’re more sociable," she continued. "We’ve seen people with autism make eye contact, which is frequently an issue for them. And the attention span is better. You work with these guys and you know that's not typical."

Out of the Shadows Theatre's debut production of "Beauty and the Beast Jr." will be performed at the Kroc Center at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 and 2 p.m. Nov. 12. Admission will be a donation at the door.

The Kroc Center is located at 1765 W. Golf Course Road.