Close your eyes and enter a room, you hear a director yell out to a
cast, “Move stage left, move forward, 5, 6, 7,8…!”
You swear that you are at a rehearsal for the Chorus Line at the
Repertory Theater, but when you open your eyes, what you imagined is
different. The ensemble is the DisAbilty Project, which encompasses
both disabled and able-bodied actors. The project exudes raw talent,
creates a theatrical vision through word and movement and changes your
perspective on life forever.
With like
ambitions, Joan Lipkin, artistic director of That Uppity Theatre, and
Fran Cohen, an Occupational Therapist both co-founded the DisAbility
Project in 1996. They were intent in honoring stories told by people
with disabilities, and turning those anecdotes into live theater.
“I’m one of those people who always notices who’s not
in the room,” Lipkin said.
DP members for the past decade have convened every Saturday
morning, and have a sharing circle and rehearsal in a space donated by
Washington University’s School of Medicine’s Program in
Occupational Therapy. Participants have disabilities such as spinal
cord injury, Multiple Sclerosis and cerebral palsy. They discuss funny,
sad or frustrating experiences. Lipkin is the primary editor, but works
closely with DP members and artistic associates such as Ashley Nanney,
and Sarah Shimchick in shaping stories into full skits or rap pieces.
For different performances, Lipkin also brings in guest artists to
choreograph or direct. Choreographer, dancer and director/owner of The
City Studio, Sara Burke is helping the DP with two pieces entitled,
“DiAbility Rap” and “Stop the Violence.”
“What I enjoy is their creativity. Their feedback and interaction
with me while we’re doing the choreography. It takes me to a
level that I never thought we would go,” Burke said.
The challenge for directors and choreographers is making all the
blocking interchangeable, because some members are not always able to
attend due to work or illness.
During rehearsals, Burke’s goal is to create different levels for
performers. She also directs actors to position their bodies at various
angles to create varied visuals for the audience. Actors in electric
wheel chairs go up and down, others move from side to side. Arms,
hands, legs and heads move to the rhythm. “People can still
dance, they just need to know how to dance differently,” Lipkin
said.
Competing with Nelly and
Chingy, “DisAbility Rap” brings with it bling, sunglasses,
ski caps and poetic lyrics that stir the soul. Audience members find
themselves moving to the beat, and rapping, “My identity is more
than a disability.”
In
contrast, “Stop the Violence,” takes a more serious tone
and makes a commentary on society today. Actors hold blank placards,
and have the audience members project their own experiences.
Lipkin passionately illustrated the main point of the piece.
“Where does this eye for an eye get you? No where! Stop the
violence! Walk away from the argument!” She said. “It also
has repercussions and reverberations for fighting over land rights,
fighting over religions….just stop it, because at some point it
makes no sense anymore for anybody.”
The DP has reached over 50,000 people in performances, and has received
several awards. In 2003, Lipkin was able to create a low budget
documentary on the DP, and subsequently was featured in two film
festivals. Lipkin in the future hopes to reach larger corporations, and
hopes funds will be easier to raise. “Even though it is a labor
of love, it still has economic dimensions to it. It’s a tough
project, it’s not sexy like Opera Theater,” she said.
With a glint in his eyes, Tom Allen who has been a member for five
years said, “I think we have made differences in schools and
children, and some adults. Adults are a little harder to change,”
he said, “They’re kind of set in their ways.”
Hoping one day that the DP will one day be looked at as a professional ensemble,
Andrew Lackey who has been with the group for 8 years enjoys disproving
misconceptions. “I like this work because many people
particularly when we first started would have said the things
we’re doing now would have been impossible or highly
improbable,” he said. “I like showing people that it
isn’t.”
For more information, please visit the DisAbility Project’s website: www.disabilityproject.com
