A program for the underserved disabled
Posted: Wed May 29, 2024 7:39 pm
My son sold his bakery and ice cream shop after 14 years and put the proceeds into this journey A large bet for changing lives of the most disadvantaged. I took some information from his website.
The medium term objective is to provide The theater program to all high schools
My son is the founder and executive director of Unlabeled Theatre Company, a relatively new nonprofit organization providing performing opportunities and arts-based educational classes for adults with disabilities (cognitive and/or physical, and/or who are neurodivergent.)
People with disabilities are the largest single ‘minority’ group on the planet. And they’re generally the group with the least visibility, and the least voice. Unlabeled Theatre Company is one of just a dozen theatre companies doing ‘this’ in the United States, and the first company like this in the Upper Midwest.
What does UTC do?
We use the template of the successful program developed at a local high school here over a decade ago called ‘Theatre For All’
We produce ‘unified’ musical theatre performances - each role pairs an artist-actor with a disability with a ‘shadow partner’ (who does not have a disability)
Each role is performed by those two actors, working together, in partnership
Each partnership is unique based solely on what the individual and role need, and each shadow partner ‘pushes in’ only to the level that is needed
The experience is absolutely life-changing for everyone involved - the actor-artist with a disability, the shadow partners, and the audience members who experience theater unlike anything they’ve ever seen
Why do this?
Disability may affect physical and/or cognitive ability - but disability does NOT affect innate appreciation for art, nature and beauty
Performing arts ‘unlock’ parts of the brain that other methods (physicians, medications, therapies, etc.) simply cannot. In fact, musical theatre (and music) are one of a handful of activities that cross brain hemisphere barriers
People with disabilities have historically been either passively or actively excluded from the theatre - and they have so many skills, talents and abilities, AND something to say and to show the world
Unified activities - partnerships between someone with and someone without a disability - are THE model for our world
Unlabeled Theatre Company's mission is to use live theatre to provide performing and vocational opportunities for people with disabilities. Our vision is to model and create a more inclusive world for people with disabilities - creating opportunities in every area to show the world what people with disabilities CAN do, and allowing them to truly be seen, and genuinely be included.
We’ve already staged two different shows, and are starting rehearsals for our third show (Rock Of Ages) - performing July 11-14. You can read more about us at https://UnlabeledTheatre.org, and you can see a couple of recent media pieces at:
KARE-11: https://tinyurl.com/85dktdve
Mils/St. Paul Magazine: https://tinyurl.com/36hcyt94
As the largest ‘minority’ group in the world, and the group that includes every other people group (race, gender, country of origin, sexual orientation, etc.), most people have a direct, personal connection with ‘disability’ - a child, a neighbor, a colleague, a relative, a friend, etc. Disability touches all of us.
This is a proven and unique program, and it is already doing amazing work - but they need funding. UTC will be eligible for grants, but most require an organization to be operational for tau full years before they become eligible - and they've done all of this in less than a year thus far.
If you (or someone you know) has an interest in disability, theatre / performing arts, or creating a more inclusive and just world, you can make a HUGE difference in helping this organization today. They're looking for people to make some significant, foundational gifts to get them to the place where they're eligible for large grants. Thanks for reading, and for considering helping this awesome organization that's already doing amazing things for a massively underserved community.
Warmly, Paul
The medium term objective is to provide The theater program to all high schools
My son is the founder and executive director of Unlabeled Theatre Company, a relatively new nonprofit organization providing performing opportunities and arts-based educational classes for adults with disabilities (cognitive and/or physical, and/or who are neurodivergent.)
People with disabilities are the largest single ‘minority’ group on the planet. And they’re generally the group with the least visibility, and the least voice. Unlabeled Theatre Company is one of just a dozen theatre companies doing ‘this’ in the United States, and the first company like this in the Upper Midwest.
What does UTC do?
We use the template of the successful program developed at a local high school here over a decade ago called ‘Theatre For All’
We produce ‘unified’ musical theatre performances - each role pairs an artist-actor with a disability with a ‘shadow partner’ (who does not have a disability)
Each role is performed by those two actors, working together, in partnership
Each partnership is unique based solely on what the individual and role need, and each shadow partner ‘pushes in’ only to the level that is needed
The experience is absolutely life-changing for everyone involved - the actor-artist with a disability, the shadow partners, and the audience members who experience theater unlike anything they’ve ever seen
Why do this?
Disability may affect physical and/or cognitive ability - but disability does NOT affect innate appreciation for art, nature and beauty
Performing arts ‘unlock’ parts of the brain that other methods (physicians, medications, therapies, etc.) simply cannot. In fact, musical theatre (and music) are one of a handful of activities that cross brain hemisphere barriers
People with disabilities have historically been either passively or actively excluded from the theatre - and they have so many skills, talents and abilities, AND something to say and to show the world
Unified activities - partnerships between someone with and someone without a disability - are THE model for our world
Unlabeled Theatre Company's mission is to use live theatre to provide performing and vocational opportunities for people with disabilities. Our vision is to model and create a more inclusive world for people with disabilities - creating opportunities in every area to show the world what people with disabilities CAN do, and allowing them to truly be seen, and genuinely be included.
We’ve already staged two different shows, and are starting rehearsals for our third show (Rock Of Ages) - performing July 11-14. You can read more about us at https://UnlabeledTheatre.org, and you can see a couple of recent media pieces at:
KARE-11: https://tinyurl.com/85dktdve
Mils/St. Paul Magazine: https://tinyurl.com/36hcyt94
As the largest ‘minority’ group in the world, and the group that includes every other people group (race, gender, country of origin, sexual orientation, etc.), most people have a direct, personal connection with ‘disability’ - a child, a neighbor, a colleague, a relative, a friend, etc. Disability touches all of us.
This is a proven and unique program, and it is already doing amazing work - but they need funding. UTC will be eligible for grants, but most require an organization to be operational for tau full years before they become eligible - and they've done all of this in less than a year thus far.
If you (or someone you know) has an interest in disability, theatre / performing arts, or creating a more inclusive and just world, you can make a HUGE difference in helping this organization today. They're looking for people to make some significant, foundational gifts to get them to the place where they're eligible for large grants. Thanks for reading, and for considering helping this awesome organization that's already doing amazing things for a massively underserved community.
Warmly, Paul