Wednesday, May 27, 2009

My Disabled Theatre

So after this semester at school I've found that I don't really like designing costumes for bodies that people would call able. Rather I like designing costume for disabled bodies. They are really more interesting. And forever changing. I realized that dealing with the actors in my last show I had a problem rapping my head around the problems the actors were having with what they were wearing. It's a damn jean jacket, what about it is so uncomfortable? Sorry, for a person who feels she is sensitive to the needs of her actors, apparently that only applies to "real problems" not the hyper active sensitivity that says they have some kind of psychological problem that we encourage and goes un diagnosed. I'm ok with with people who have head injuries, psychological disorder (that have been diagnosed) and general craziness that comes with theatre.  

Real Problems:
Missing limbs
Parkinson
Polio
sever depression
spina bifida
MS
CP
SF
Spinal cord injuries
Traumatic Head injuries
Blindness
Hearing impaired

Not Real Problems
Fat rolls the size of my pink toe
small ripples in fabric
I could go on, but it could become rude

So because of this I am in a great search. A great search of a Disabled theatre company. Mind you have have been working with one for the past 7 years, fairly professional, but not a full time gig. There are many dance groups in the US, many groups just working with the deaf actors. Very few and fare between that work with any disability, I have found two places that have an education for disabled actors. But nothing is coming back with much of a design for disabilities. So here I go the new frontier?

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