Words haven’t always come easily to 18-year-old Julian Bradford, who was diagnosed with autism when he was four. Singing, however, does come naturally and brings him joy.
He sang before he could speak fluently and hasn’t stopped since. The Walter Johnson High School student continues to shine through his disability and on April 20 and 27 stars as Jean Valjean, a lead role in the school’s production of Les Misérables.
The young man has progressed through Montgomery County Public Schools’ autism programs and will graduate with a Learning for Independence certificate at the end of this school year. He recently won the A.R. Tilghman Memorial Scholarship that will enable him to continue his education.
Bradford continues to struggle with language, often merely repeating words he just heard. He also has sensory processing issues, but when he opens his mouth to sing, all his struggles seem to drift away.
His mother, Angela Bradford, utilized her background as a singing instructor to enable her son’s passion for music to thrive and help him grow. But performing on the Walter Johnson stage entails much more than singing. He had numerous lines to memorize, theatrical movements to make and stage directions to follow.
He does it all so well, said his vocal director Kelly Butler, who called Bradford “amazing.”
Les Misérables is performed by WJ Stage, a student-led theater organization on April 19, 20, 26 and 27 at 7 p.m. and April 21 at Walter Johnson High School.
