I was diagnosed with lupus in 2020, and immediately began to wonder how my new disability would change my relationship to making. I took zoom classes during chemo sessions, listened to musical theatre soundtracks in physical therapy, anything I could to keep engaging with art when I couldn't physically reach it.

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People tend to think access ends at elevators and affordability, but how many places offer sensory-friendly performances? Stair lifts? Captioning devices? Large print playbills? Does your website tell people about the nearby accessible transit? Does your staff know how to read a medical ID, use an EpiPen, or understand mobility aids?

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Now, I use the Alison Kopit-coined title "access dramaturg." I offer accessibility consulting to any part of a production, whether that be script review, cast and crew needs, venue checking, or anything else you may need. Just reach out through my contact form.

 

My disclaimer is that access is a vast and ever-changing concept; what helps one person could hinder another, and even as a disabled person myself, I am limited by my lived experience and research I have available. I encourage you to seek out disabled artists to work with, listen to them, and respect their needs and stories. As activist James Charlton says, nothing about us without us.