Britlyn Caruso was born with cerebral palsy and epilepsy at birth due to complications from Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome.
Now, she is the fifth of her siblings to be a part of the theater, being inducted into the International Thespian Society at Flowery Branch High School (FBHS) on Friday.
“It’s something we didn’t think … would be a moment that we’d ever be able to celebrate,” Britlyn’s mom Sarah Caruso said. “Britlyn was not supposed to make it past five years old, so here we are almost 17, and she is just making her mark on this world and in the theater.”
Britlyn was featured in four productions of “SpongeBob the Musical” as Gary.
“The whole audience just erupted in applause when she came out as Gary, and then when her curtain call came, a giant standing ovation because she was so inspirational,” FBHS Theater Director Benny Higgins said.
That came after years of support and attendance of the theater by Britlyn.
“It doesn’t matter her own journey in life, she is able to experience the exact same events that all the kids her age are being able to experience,” Higgins said. “She’s just been sitting in the audience watching kids like her get to be on stage, and now that she gets to do the same thing, it’s really heartwarming.”
Higgins quipped at the beginning, calling Britlyn a “scene stealer” because of the attention she garners. Kate Carson, Britlyn’s big in the International Thespian Society performed in two of the four shows Britlyn was in.
“I was also Patrick Star for two with Britlyn, and that was the most fun,” Carson said.
“But she goes out on the stage before me, and all the attention goes to her, of course,” Carson added jokingly.
During induction week, Carson was responsible for getting Britlyn gifts which she handmade for her little, showcasing their similar interests in movies and characters, but Carson said there was a moment that Britlyn helped her out that week.
“Another thing that’s been going on was callbacks for another show,” Carson said. “I was waiting to read for my callback, and I was incredibly nervous, and then Britlyn’s teacher brought her into the theater … and just immediately she recognized me and gave me this huge smile and my nerves melted away.”
Britlyn was also just the 11th person in Georgia to be approved for CBD oil therapy in 2014, and they were supporters of the Haliegh’s Hope Act that allowed CBD oil for medical use.
Sarah said that the oil allowed her daughter to get off of the medications she was on and it has reduced her seizures significantly.
“She hasn’t had a seizure in several years, so it was life-changing for us,” Sarah said. “At the end of the night, when her medications would start to wear off, you would start to see the smile.”
Britlyn is also a huge Buffalo Bills fan, where she will watch her team take on the Kansas City Chief in the AFC Championship Game Sunday at 6:30 p.m., a game that can also be heard on WDUN AM 550 and FM 102.9
Britlyn is now a member of the International Thespian Society after her induction Friday. A link to The Branch Theatre Company can be found here.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2025/1/1282031/fbhs-student-born-with-epilepsy-cerebral-palsy-inducted-into-international-thespian-society