Inclusive Theatre Festival 2016
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2016
November 19, 2016
Seabury Great Room
Seesaw’s first annual Inclusive Theatre Festival was held Saturday, November 19th from in the Seabury Great Room. This event was a culmination of our research and work in inclusive practices in the arts. Northwestern students, educators, and professionals in the Chicagoland community joined us in a our discussion of arts administration and facilitation in inclusive theatre. We kicked off the day with a panel discussion of professionals working in the field of inclusive arts, including arts administrators and educators working in inclusion work in early childhood classrooms, youth theatre, production/performance devised with individuals with disabilities as the target audience, and museum accessibility for developmental disabilities within the landscape of all around best practices in accessibility. Our panel included representatives from Arts of Life, Blue Laces, Red Kite, CACC (Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium), Lifeline Theatre, and the University of Northern Iowa. Other scheduled activities for the day included a sensory workshop led by Seesaw’s cohort of teaching artists, and a group art project led by Arts of Life.
our Panelists
Jason Harrington, Chicago Shakespeare Education Outreach Manager and Steering Committee member with CACC (Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium)
Gretta Berghammer, Theatre Director at UNI
Julia deBettencourt, Snow City Arts
Erica Foster, Accessibility Programmer at Lifeline Theatre
Hilary Marshall, Arts of Life Studio Manager
Claire Huntington, Bluelaces Founder
Alex Mauney, Access and Inclusion Manager at Chicago Children’s Theatre
Ira Kriston, Keynote Speaker
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2017
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2017
November 18-19, 2017
This event is a culmination of our research and work in the inclusive arts, as well as a celebration of the professionals working in accessibility programming in the Chicagoland community and beyond. This year, ITF will be taking the form of a two day conference with programming throughout the weekend. Join us for some or for all!
Saturday, November 18th: Community Day 9:00a - 5:00p
- Panel of professionals
- Breakout sessions including; documentary viewings, round-table discussions, and a workshop with our Teaching Artists
Inclusive Theatre Festival Gala 8:30p
Sunday, November 19th: Campus Day 9:00a - 5:00p
- Research presentations on sensory-friendly performances
- Basics of creating a creative drama lesson plan
- Wrap-up event
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2018
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2018
check our facebook event for more information about what you’ll see this year!
November 17-18, 2018
Seesaw Theatre's Third Annual Inclusive Theater Festival is a two day conference dedicated to celebrating the growth in inclusive and accessible theater. We are proud to host neurodiverse artists speaking on their experiences in theater, professionals who are developing programming for differently abled and disabled students, and researchers from Northwestern labs. The conference aims to celebrate steps that have already been taken in the field of inclusive theater and foster collaborative discussions on how we can expand and improve our work.
Questions about this event? Email our festival organizer, Olivia Zapater-Charrette at oliviazapater-charrette2020@u.northwestern.edu.
This year’s conference schedule is now live!
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2019
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2019
Registration is now open for our 2019 Inclusive theatre festival on November 16th-17th!
Seesaw Theatre's Fourth Annual Inclusive Theatre Festival is a weekend-long conference celebrating the strides being made in inclusive and accessible theatre. This event aims to bring together theatre artists and practitioners from across the country, giving us all the chance to learn about the amazing work being done and how we can also improve our own work. This event is intended not only for theatre artists (students and professionals alike), but also for the disability community and their families, educators working with individuals with developmental differences, and truly anyone interested in this ever-expanding and heart-warming field of inclusive theatre. Presenters will include Jamie Angello of Trusty Sidekick Theater Company, Christopher Liam Moore of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Erica Berman of the Children's Theatre of Madison, among numerous others. Join us for a specific presentation or the whole event. We look forward to seeing you there!
Questions about this event? Contact our festival organizer, Julia Hogan Laurenson, at inclusivetheatrefestival@gmail.com.
This year’s Inclusive Theatre Festival is dedicated to Luke Hogan Laurenson.
Luke in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s 2019 production of Hairspray, directed by ITF presenter Christopher Liam Moore. Luke is pictured with Kate Mulligan, Preston Mead, Brent Hinkley, Eddie Lopez, Johnique Mitchell, and Christian Bufford. Photo by Jenny Graham.
view the conference schedule and our Welcome Packet!
meet our presenters!
Special thanks to:
ITF 2019: Welcome Packet
ITF 2019: Welcome Packet
Welcome Packet
ITF 2019: Conference Schedule
ITF 2019: Conference Schedule
conference schedule
ITF 2019: Meet the Presenters!
ITF 2019: Meet the Presenters!
Meet the presenters
Jamie Agnello — “Trusty Sidekick Theater Company and The Big Umbrella Festival”
Presenter Bio: Jamie Agnello is an actor, voice over artist, deviser and puppeteer based in Pittsburgh, PA where she serves on the Pittsburgh Emerging Arts Leaders steering committee, as a Teaching Artist for Bricolage Production Company, and as an extended company member of Trusty Sidekick Theater Company. She has performed and collaborated with Trusty Sidekick since 2013, including Off the Map and Campfire (University Settlement), The Haunting of Ichabod Crane and The 7 1/2 Mysteries of Toulouse McLane (The Park Avenue Armory), and the original devising and development processes of Up and Away and Campfire while in residence at Lincoln Center Education.
Erica Berman — “Where to begin!? (Creating Inclusive Programming at a TYA Company)”
Presenter Bio: Erica Berman is celebrating her seventh season as the Director of Education & Artistic Associate with Children's Theater of Madison. Erica introduced sensory friendly performances to CTM and collaborated on creating the Access for All Initiative. Erica holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Mount Holyoke College and a MA in Theatre Education from Emerson College.
Event Description: At this session, we will look at how to build inclusive programming and practices from the ground up. This presentation will offer tools for translating a passion for inclusive practices into successful programming within an arts non-profit.
Christopher Liam Moore — “The Beat: Hairspray at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival”
Presenter Bio: Christopher Liam Moore is a director and actor. At the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, he directed Hairspray, The Book of Will, Shakespeare in Love, Twelfth Night, Long Day’s Journey into Night, A Streetcar Named Desire, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Very Merry Wives of Windsor, Iowa, August: Osage County, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Dead Man’s Cell Phone. He has won the Los Angeles Stage Alliance’s Ovation Award (two nominations, one award); Garland, Drama-Logue, and L.A. Weekly Awards and was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award, the Bay Area Critics Circle Award, and the Connecticut Drama Critics Circle Award.
Event Description: Director Christopher Liam Moore discusses the Oregon Shakespeare Festival production of Hairspray and the expansion of the lens of inclusivity.
Melanie Gertzman — “From TSWA to Bluelaces Theater Company: Beyond Relaxed Performances”
Presenter Bio: Melanie Gertzman is the Co-Founder and Executive Director for Bluelaces Theater Company. She also co-founded the special event, Theatre Stands with Autism on Northwestern's campus in 2013, which grew into Seesaw Theatre! Melanie holds a B.S. in Theater and Psychology with concentrations in production and theater for young audiences from Northwestern University, and an Ed.M in Specialized Studies from Harvard's Graduate School of Education with a focus on social entrepreneurship, non-profit management, data analytics, program evaluation, and research in the therapeutic benefits of theater created specifically for audiences with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Event Description: Melanie Gertzman will share her story of how a special event on Northwestern's campus grew into New York's award winning theater company for audiences with autism and other developmental disabilities (not to mention Seesaw Theatre!). Learn more about Bluelaces' history, programming, plans for growth, and how we engage with our community.
Brian Balcom — “Enhanced Access”
Presenter Bio: Brian Balcom is a disabled, Asian-American director working in Chicago and Minneapolis. With a BFA in directing from Carnegie-Mellon University and his MFA in directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University, he has been a Multi-Cultural Fellow at Steppenwolf Theater, and currently serves as the Access Coordinator at Victory Gardens' Access Project. He has upcoming productions with Gremlin Theatre and Mu Performing Arts in Minnesota, American Stage in Florida, and Theater Wit in Chicago.
Orion Couling — “No Easy Target: A Screening and Talkback”
Presenter Bio: Orion Couling is the award-winning founder and executive director of EDGE of Orion, an Illinois NFP. He created the Constellation Project, a program that celebrates inclusion and neuro-diverse participation.
Event Description: EDGE of Orion's Constellation Project is thrilled to offer a screening and talkback of their award-winning Star Wars fan Film No Easy Target!
Sara Perry — “Shakespeare & Autism: The Hunter Heartbeat Method”
Presenter Bio: Sara is a graduate of the M.F.A. Acting program at The Ohio State University, with a focus in devised work and inclusive theatre education. While at OSU, Sara worked as a teaching artist in The Shakespeare & Autism Project. Sara trained in the Hunter Heartbeat Method (HHM) pedagogy with Kelly Hunter from the RSC. Currently serving as the Inclusive Education & Programs Manager at Chicago Children’s Theatre, Sara teaches drama to neurodiverse students, coordinates residency programs with Chicago Public Schools, and manages Camp Red Kite; an arts-based camp for students on the spectrum. Sara is so thrilled to be back at the Inclusive Theatre Festival sharing this groundbreaking work!
Event Description: Interactive introduction to the Hunter Heartbeat Method (HHM), a series of sensory drama games, which use Shakespeare to release the communicative blocks within children and young people with Autism.
Christena Gunther — “Facilitating Accessible Cultural Experiences”
Presenter Bio: Bringing Chicago together around the intersection of disability and the arts was Christena's main aim as she started Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium (CCAC) in 2012. Having over a decade of experience in cultural accessibility from the Metropolitan Museum and Lincoln Center, she currently serves as Director of Education at the Evanston Art Center, and is a Steering Committee Co-Chair and Board President of CCAC. Thanks to her brother Travis who has Down syndrome, cultural accessibility became her passion as they visited museums and attended plays together.
Event Description: Understand the context about why inclusion matters. First, we'll explore the definition of disability and what cultural accessibility for guests with disabilities means, discuss best practices when it comes to language and considering disability, and examine how cultural organizations can better welcome and include all visitors. Learn more about specific types of accommodations for different people with disabilities that can be provided, and the various support that the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium (CCAC) can provide for cultural administrators striving to improve access and equity at their organizations.
Katie Yohe — “Supporting Different Abilities in Rehearsal and in the Spotlight”
Presenter Bio: Originally from West Chester, PA, Katie Yohe has called Chicago home since 2007. Katie graduated magna cum laude from Syracuse University with a BFA in Drama and holds an MA with Distinction in Applied Theatre from The Royal Central School for Speech and Drama. Her dissertation, "Side By Side", focused on developing creative arts programming for individuals with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and dementia. Katie founded Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations (A.B.L.E.) with the aim of creating opportunities for individuals with developmental differences to find the same confidence, friendships, and joy she has found through the arts.
Event Description: It is rare for us to see individuals with disabilities onstage. Mainstream performance opportunities for this population tend to favor those who are more typically abled. But what about actors who do not communicate verbally? Or those who struggle with short term memory capacity or literacy skills? A.B.L.E. believes everyone is A.B.L.E. to connect, to contribute, and to create. Over the years, this trailblazing non-profit has developed techniques to ensure actors of all abilities can thrive onstage – in everything from original pieces to Shakespearean classics. Join A.B.L.E.’s Founder and Executive Artistic Director, Katie Yohe, and veteran ensemble members for an interactive exploration of A.B.L.E.’s unique rehearsal pedagogy. You’ll get to try your hand at A.B.L.E.’s signature method of dropping in and discuss other best practices for an inclusive arts classroom.
Sharon Hyson — “a taste of art therapy through a mixed media visual art workshop”
Presenter Bio: Sharon Hyson, ATR, integrates her skills as an art therapist, arts educator and teaching artist in all of her workshops and art programs. Her experience includes designing and creating art therapy and art programs in memory care programs, in schools and camps for children and youth who have special needs, in retirement homes, skilled care units, summer camps for adults, in schools, hospitals, correctional institutions, in shelters, in public libraries, and in places of faith. She facilitates Professional Development Seminars on Self Care through the Arts. Sharon works with families, youth, children, and older adults. She was the Art Exhibit Director for the State’s Celebration of the Passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act Law, and is planning an upcoming Art Exhibit for the 30th Anniversary. In 2019 Sharon was the All Ages Art Director for the Edgewater Arts Festival. She has presented recently at the following conferences: Art in Response to Violence conference and at Caregiving Conferences. She presents Family Art Programs at Chicago Public Libraries often. Sharon led the Community Building Workshop (through Hat Making from Upcycled Materials) session for the Inclusive Theatre Festival 2 years ago. Sharon loves to create jewelry from upcycling and recycling daily materials. Most days she wears jewelry made from office or sewing supplies. For a list of other art workshops/classes and art therapy programs with Sharon, contact her at ADAartexhibit@gmail.com or 312.636.7944.
Event Description: Sharon Hyson, ATR, will provide an experiential opportunity for attendees to engage with visual art materials to support their learning on art therapy. One can ask questions and find out about art therapy resources and the benefits of including art therapy in your program. Come play and create!
Ellie Levine and Olivia Zapater-Charrette — “Welcome to Seesaw Theatre’s Inclusive Theatre Festival”
Presenter Bio: Ellie Levine is a senior Theatre major and Psychology minor at Northwestern University. Ellie is the Artistic Director of Seesaw Theatre and has been involved with Seesaw since her freshman year. In addition to her work with Seesaw, Ellie is a director and dramaturg for productions on campus.
Olivia Zapater-Charrette is a senior Theatre and Psychology double major with a concentration in Theatre Management at Northwestern University. Olivia is the Executive Director of Seesaw Theatre and has been involved with Seesaw since her freshman year. In addition to her work with Seesaw, Olivia stage manages Northwestern productions.
Event Description: Ellie and Olivia, Artistic and Executive Director of Seesaw Theatre, respectively, are thrilled to welcome everyone to the fourth annual Inclusive Theatre Festival. We will briefly walk through the history of Seesaw and our current programming before we send you off on your weekend of learning!
Noah Kudman — “An Introduction to Sensory Friendly Design”
Presenter Bio: Noah Kudman is a senior at Northwestern University studying Theatre and Environmental Science. He serves on multiple executive boards on campus including Seesaw Theatre as Design Chair and Lipstick Theatre as Inventory Manager. He is also one of the two Co-Chairs for Northwestern's Student Theatre Coalition, an umbrella organization housing many of the school's student theatre and dance groups.
Event Description: Seesaw Theatre's Design Chair Noah Kudman will be discussing why there is a need to make theatre sensory friendly as well as how to create experiences that will be safe, tactile, and exciting for audiences with developmental differences.
Savannah Runge — “Accessibility 101 for STUCO”
Presenter Bio: Savannah Runge is a senior at Northwestern University studying Theatre and Pre-medicine. She has been on the executive board of Seesaw Theatre for three years, regarding the organization as the best experience throughout undergraduate. While postponing medical school two years she plans to work in theatre education and accessibility.
Event Description: Join Seesaw Theatre’s Sensory Friendly Coordinator Savannah Runge for an interactive presentation about accessibility in theatre, sensory friendly performance, and multi sensory theatre.
Maddie Burton and Mikey Walden — “Information Informs: A Look at Research and its Application in Seesaw Theatre”
Presenter Bio: Maddie Burton is a third-year student at Northwestern double-majoring in Theatre and Neuroscience with an Allied Field in Biology on the pre-med track with the intention of pursuing a career in pediatric medicine. She is a research assistant at Northwestern’s Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Lab, and, under the guidance of Dr. Molly Losh, looks at the genetic underpinnings of autism spectrum condition. This is her second year serving as Seesaw’s Research Chair; she enjoys combining her passions for theatre, neuroscience, and children to make incredible experiences for individuals, regardless of their ability. Maddie is also a proud member of The Bix! Improv and The Jewish Theatre Ensemble.
Mikey Walden is a Northwestern University junior pursuing a Theatre major and Gender and Sexuality Studies minor who is excited by any form go artistic creation, particularly passionate about new work and accessible theatre. This is their third year on the Seesaw Theatre Company executive board where they are External Education Director and Music Director. They act on the stage and screen and are a songwriter and poet. They are currently a writing coordinator for the 89th Annual Waa-Mu Show and have previously written original music for ImagineU’s When She Had Wings. They are also a member of Significant Others a cappella where they are an assistant music director.
Event Description: Together, we will explore how Seesaw conducts research and implements it into its workshops, shows and more!
ITF 2020: Conference Schedule
ITF 2020: Conference Schedule
conference schedule
Image description: Inclusive Theatre Festival Saturday schedule! The presentation schedule is as follows: “Welcome to Seesaw’s 5th Annual ITF” from 9:30-10:30am CST, “Adapting Online” with Scott Turner from 10:30-11:30am, '“Coming Out of the Disability Closet” with Spicer Carr from 11:30-12:30pm, lunch and networking from 1-2pm, “From Diagnosis, to Advocacy, and Beyond” with Ava Rigelhaupt from 2-3pm, “Multi-Disciplinary Artist Panel & Showcase from Special Gifts Theatre” from 3-4pm, and “Expanding the Limits of Our Collective Imagining” with Marrok Sedgwick from 4-5pm.
Image description: Inclusive Theatre Festival Sunday schedule! The presentation schedule is as follows: “Defining ‘Audience’ in Sensory-Inclusive Theatre and Theatre for the Very Young” with Molly Mattaini from 10:30-11:30am CST, “Intuitive and Institutional Knowledge for Creating Sensory Friendly Environments Online” with Mydera Taliah Robinson and Roger Ideishi from 11:30-12:30pm, '“Sensory Friendly Programming and Remote Theatre” with Hope Valls from 12:30-1pm, lunch and networking from 1-2pm, “Disability, Education, and the Industry” with Eli Blodgett from 2-3pm, “EDGE of Orion’s Constellation Project” with Orion Couling and EDGE of Orion Actors from 3-4pm, and “Sound Theatre and the Power of Authentic Representation” from 4-5pm.
ITF 2020: Meet the Presenters!
ITF 2020: Meet the Presenters!
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2020
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2020
Registration IS NOW OPEN for our 2020 Inclusive theatre festival on November 14th-15th!
Seesaw Theatre's Fifth Annual Inclusive Theatre Festival is a weekend-long virtual conference celebrating the strides being made in inclusive and accessible theatre. This event aims to bring together theatre artists and practitioners from across the country, giving us all the chance to learn about the amazing work being done and how we can also improve our own work while supporting marginalized communities. This event is intended not only for theatre artists (students and professionals alike), but also for the disability community and their families, educators working with disabled individuals, and truly anyone interested in this ever-expanding and heart-warming field of inclusive theatre. This year's presenters include Professor Roger Ideishi from George Washington University, Mydera Robinson from Theatre Horizon, Special Gifts Theatre, Orion Couling from EDGE of Orion, and more! Join us for a specific presentation or the whole event, synchronously or asynchronously. We look forward to seeing you there!
For more information or if you have questions about the event: contact our Conference & Engagement Director, Zach Forbes, at inclusivetheatrefestival@gmail.com.
Special thanks to:
This occupied land called the Chicago area—on which Northwestern University sits—is located on the ancestral homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. It was also a site of trade, travel, gathering, and healing for more than a dozen other Native tribes and is still home to over 100,000 tribal members in the state of Illinois. Acknowledging the generations of pain inflicted upon the original peoples of this land, Seesaw Theatre strives to support autistic and otherwise disabled Native Americans, who continue to be leaders for justice in our community today.
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2021
NOV 20- 21, 2021
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2021
NOV 20- 21, 2021
Seesaw Theatre's Sixth Annual Inclusive Theatre Festival is a weekend-long virtual conference celebrating the strides being made in inclusive and accessible theatre. This event aims to bring together theatre artists and practitioners from across the country, giving us all the chance to learn about the amazing work being done and how we can improve our own work while supporting marginalized communities. This event is intended not only for theatre artists (students and professionals alike), but also for the disability community and their families, educators working with disabled individuals, and truly anyone interested in this ever-expanding and heart-warming field of inclusive theatre.
Registration for the 2021 conference is now open. We look forward to seeing you there!
The 2021 Inclusive Theatre Festival will be an entirely virtual event, hosted live online and archived for future access for all patrons. This decision was made very carefully, as our utmost priority in hosting any kind of event is the safety and wellbeing of our community. We hope that you will join us for ITF 2021! For any questions or further information, please contact Conference Director Molly McDermott at inclusivetheatrefestival@gmail.com
Click here to view presenters!
click here to view conference schedule!
Special thanks to:
This conference has been made ASL accessible by @probonoasl
2021 conference schedule
2021 conference schedule
meet our 2021 Presenters!
meet our 2021 Presenters!
Samuel is smiling straight into the camera. They are bald, wearing thin metal rimmed glasses, and have a trimmed black beard. They are wearing a dark blue suit with a lighter blue dress shirt and a dark blue and grey patterned tie. In the coat pocket of their suit is a brown flower. Behind them is a grey backdrop.
Samuel Yates, Ph.D.
Samuel Yates, Ph.D., is a deaf artist and researcher who is currently Assistant Professor of Theatre and Performance Studies in the School of Theatre and Dance at Millikin University. His current book project, Cripping Broadway: Producing Disability in the American Musical investigates disability aesthetics and accessibility practices in Broadway musicals by asking how our notions of disability and the able body inform and transform the work of the laboring actor in commercial theatre. As a dramaturg and theatremaker, he has collaborated with companies such as the Abbey Theatre, the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, the Kennedy Center, the Samuel Beckett Centre, Gala Hispanic Theatre, and New Harmony Theater. Beyond the theatre, Samuel has worked as arts and accessibility consultant with Gensler Architecture, the National Endowment for the Arts, and 3Arts Chicago. His work on disability, performance, and popular culture is published or forthcoming in the Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, Music Theatre Today, Studies in Musical Theatre, and Medicine and Literature, as well as edited volumes such as The Matter of Disability (U Michigan), A Cultural History of Disability in the Modern Age (Bloomsbury), and Monsters in Performance: Essays on the Aesthetics of Social Disqualification (Routledge).
Sam looking straight into the camera in a selfie shot positioned a bit upwards. They are wearing a tan cap, black rimmed glasses that become clear half way down the rim, and a short jean jacket with a grey t-shirt that has a black splotch on it. Behind them is the limbs of a tree that they are under with sunlight shining through the leaves.
Sam Mauceri
Sam Mauceri (they/them) is a theatre educator, artist, and administrator with a passion for creating accessible spaces for students and young audiences, and the Director of Education & Access Programs at Chicago Children’s Theatre. At CCT, Sam heads the Red Kite Project, a series of dynamic camps, classes, and residencies designed for young people on the autism spectrum. Prior to joining the Education team at Chicago Children’s Theatre, they served as the School Matinee Series Coordinator at Goodman Theatre, where they also co-directed PlayBuild, and Strike! The Youth Political Theatre Project. Originally from the DC area, Sam was the Master Instructor of Early Childhood Education and teaching artist at Imagination Stage, as well as a teaching artist with Young Playwrights’ Theater. Alongside teaching drama to young people, they also provide professional development for educators in arts integration, creating accessible and inclusive drama classrooms, and facilitating trans-positive learning spaces. As a director and playwright, their work has been produced in Chicago and DC.
Chicago Children’s Theatre focuses on the production of first-rate children’s theatre in Chicago, with top writing, performing, and directorial talent and high-quality design and production expertise. Chicago Children’s Theatre also produces The Red Kite Project, a multi-sensory interactive theatre program tailored specifically to the needs of children on the autism spectrum. In 2017, Chicago Children’s Theatre became the first theater for young audiences in the nation to win a National Theatre Award from the American Theatre Wing, creators of the Tony Awards.
Lydia smiles and tilts their head slightly to the side, looking confidently at the camera. They are a young-ish East Asian person with a streak of teal in their short black hair, wearing glasses, a cobalt blue jacket and navy tie, with a blue copper wall behind them. Photo by Sarah Tundermann.
Lydia X. Z. Brown
Lydia X. Z. Brown is an advocate, organizer, attorney, strategist, and writer whose work focuses on interpersonal and state violence against disabled people at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, faith, language, and nation. They are Policy Counsel for Privacy & Data at the Center for Democracy & Technology, focused on algorithmic discrimination and disability, as well as Director of Policy, Advocacy, & External Affairs at the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network. Lydia is also adjunct lecturer and core faculty in Georgetown’s Disability Studies Program, and adjunct professorial lecturer in American University’s Department of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies. They serve as a commissioner on the American Bar Association’s Commission on Disability Rights, chairperson of the ABA Civil Rights & Social Justice Section’s Disability Rights Committee, co-president of the Disability Rights Bar Association, and board representative for the Disability Justice Committee to the National Lawyers Guild. Lydia founded the Fund for Community Reparations for Autistic People of Color's Interdependence, Survival, and Empowerment, and they are creating Disability Justice Wisdom Tarot. Lydia is past chairperson of the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council, and former Justice Catalyst Legal Fellow at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. Often, their most important work has no title, job description, or funding, and probably never will.
The mission of Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN) is to provide community, support, and resources for Autistic women, girls, transfeminine and transmasculine nonbinary people, trans people of all genders, Two Spirit people, and all others of marginalized genders.
Caroline is looking straight into the camera with a smile. She has short black hair and is wearing a teal shirt with a black blazer over it. Her background is a blurred image of leaves from a tree.
Caroline Umeda
Caroline Umeda (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Dominican University of California. As an occupational therapist (OT), Caroline has provided clinical services to children with disabilities and their families since 1999. Through consultative private practice and her faculty position at Dominican, Caroline partners with cultural arts organizations to develop inclusive programs. She has collaborated with Seattle Children's Theatre to create and implement their Sensory Friendly Performance Program and provided sensory processing training to actors at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, WA. Through her current faculty position, Caroline partners with community theatres and arts venues in the Bay Area to develop sensory friendly performances and inclusive arts classes. She mentors current OT graduate students in the development of community-based access programs and engages in research examining the impact of organization-level occupational therapy consultation on community participation among people with diverse abilities.
Crom is looking into the camera and smiling. He is wearing a pair of rimless glasses and a crimson shirt. Behind Crom is a red wall with a part of a blurred painting on the left.
Crom Saunders
Crom Saunders is currently Director of Deaf Studies at the American Sign Language Department of Columbia College, Chicago. Crom has interpreted dozens of plays, from children’s theatre to musicals, including at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and has taught dozens of ASL linguistics and theatrical workshops across the nation, in addition to working as a Director of ASL for several theatre companies across the nation. Crom also performs his one person show, “Cromania!” internationally. And yes, the eyebrows are real. organization description is below:
Columbia College Chicago is a private college specializing in arts and media disciplines and located in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1890, it has 5,928 students pursuing degrees in more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Ilana is looking at the camera and smiling. She tilts her head to the right. Behind Ilana is a portion of a white wall.
Ilana Abusch
Ilana Abusch is the Artistic Director for Seesaw Theatre, previously the Winter Event Director and Spring Mainstage Producer. She is also the current Summer Teen Conservatory Director at The Play Group Theatre, a non-profit children’s theatre in New York. Ilana is a Senior Theatre Major at Northwestern University with a concentration in Playwriting and minors in Film and Media Studies, Greek, and Psychology. As an actor and director, Ilana has experience creating sensory-based theatre for autistic and otherwise disabled children. As a playwright, she is committed to Theatre for Young Audiences. Her play Without Wings was recently workshopped as part of Purple Crayon Players’ PLAYground Festival and is now being produced at her hometown high school in White Plains, NY. She was recently commissioned to co-write a musical adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, titled In Wonderland, which will debut next month at the Play Group Theatre as part of their fall season.
Faith is looking directly at the camera and smiling. Behind them is a flat light grey background.
Faith Douglas
Faith Douglas (they/them) is a neurodiverse actor, writer, activist, and current Northwestern theatre student. They serve as the Research Chair for Seesaw Theatre and look forward to continuing to work in advancing neurodiverse and inclusive theatre on the Northwestern campus and in the greater theatrical community.
Ben is looking directly at the camera and smiling. He is wearing glasses with a black frame and a black t-shirt. He takes up the right side of the image. Behind him is a corner with brick walls.
Ben Raanan
Ben Raanan is a disabled theatre maker and activist who is currently the Artistic Director of Phamaly Theatre Company. Bens mission is to create artistically rigorous theatre with, for, and about the disability community. As a child, Ben recognized the transformative power that theatre held, but was disheartened that individuals with disabilities were ostracized from our artistic community. Ben began to focus his directing work on creating inclusive equity within the art form to further the disability canon. Ben received his BFA in Directing and Special Education from Drake University and his MFA in Directing from DePaul University. Favorite directorial credits include: Antigone: born against, Crumble: Lay Me Down Justin Timberlake, The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Suicide (Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati), Mockingbird (Falcon Theatre), Falling, Oedipus the King (The Theatre School at DePaul). Ben has worked as an accessibility consultant at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Northlight Theatre, and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Ben is a proud member of the Flute Theatre in London and a proud practice of the Hunter Heartbeat Method. Ben’s activism has been featured in such publications as American Theatre and HowlRound.
Phamaly Theatre Company is the longest running disability theatre in the United States. At every performance, you will see actors with all nature of disabilities: physical, cognitive, intellectual, and emotional. PTC gives actors a supportive space to explore and develop their craft, empowers artists within their disability identity, educates the community about access and inclusion, and entertains audiences with high-quality, award winning theatre.
Julia is smiling and looking at the camera slightly from below. Behind her is a flat turquoise background.
Julia Hogan Laurenson
Julia Hogan Laurenson is an arts administrator and educator, dramaturg, director, and deviser. She is the Executive Director for Seesaw Theatre as well as the former Production Manager and Conference and Engagement Director, most notably producing Seesaw’s Fourth Annual Inclusive Theatre Festival, a weekend-long conference dedicated to accessibility and inclusion in theatre in 2019. She is one of Imagine U’s two Education and Engagement Directors for the 2021-22 season. Julia has extensive experience devising and performing multi-sensory, immersive theatre for babies (4-18 months) and autistic and otherwise disabled children (K-8). Her recent dramaturgy credits include The Battlefields of Clara Barton and Without Wings (an Imagine U and PLAYground Festival of Fresh Works collaboration). She also recently directed the premiere production of When She Went to Mantua. Julia has had the honor of working with both Childsplay and Honolulu Theatre for Youth. Julia is a Senior Theatre and History Double Major with Modules in Theatre for Young Audiences and Children & Communication at Northwestern University.
Juliet is looking directly at the camera and smiling. Behind her is a dark blue background.
Juliet Huneke
Juliet Huneke is the Education Director of Seesaw Theatre. She is a senior Theatre major and Sociology minor in the Playwriting Module at Northwestern University. Juliet is an actor, playwright, teaching artist, and improviser. She is especially passionate about accessible theatre, plays for teenage audiences, and being the person who gets to use the hot glue gun when Seesaw makes glitter jars.
ITF 2022 Presenters
ITF 2022 Presenters
Meet the ITF 2022 Presenters!
Click on the following people/groups to jump down to their information:
Special Gifts Theatre
Chicago Children’s Theatre
Able Arts Work
Pink Umbrella Theatre Company
SPORK!
Gianni Carcagno
UIC/Babes With Blades Theatre Company
Seesaw Theatre’s Zoe Maroko
Special Gifts Theatre
Special Gifts Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides inclusive and adaptive musical theatre programming for individuals with disabilities. We work collaboratively to adapt all aspects of musical theatre while creating transformative experiences that integrate creativity for individuals with disabilities and fun to fully engage in the world.
Debbie Taus-Barth, she/her/hers, currently is the Program Operations Director at Special Gifts Theatre and since 2008 has served as production manager, peer mentor coordinator, site supervisor, and teacher, and founded Creating Outside the Lines, SGT’s adult program. As Program Operations Director, Taus-Barth oversees the creative adaptations for Special Gifts Theatre’s musical theatre programs. Taus-Barth earned a Liberal Arts Associates Degree from Wright College, Chicago and has worked with individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities for 40 yrs.
Kate Sabres, she/her/hers, is a special education teacher for Chicago Public Schools and the choreographer for four Special Gifts Theatre Programs. She started doing dance and acrobatics at a young age and continued through cheering in high school and college. Sabres received her bachelors dual license in Early Childhood Special Education and Early Childhood General Education from University of Wisconsin: Whitewater. Sabres also holds a masters degree from Grand Canyon University in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Hunter Czarnecki, he/him/his, is a 22 year old actor with Autism at Special Gifts Theatre. He has performed in many roles including Peter Pan in Peter Pan Jr., Daddy Warbucks in Annie Jr., Sebastian in Little Mermaid Jr. among many others. Hunter works at an electronic recycling location 5 days a week. He loves to build Legos, watch movies, and go bowling with friends.
Daniel G. Graham, he/him/his, is an 18-year-old actor with Special Gifts Theatre. Danny, who is on the Autism-spectrum, has loved theatre since he attended his first musical at the age of 4. He has been a part of SGT for several years, participating in its stagecraft and scripting workshops and performing in its musicals, including Shrek Jr. (Shrek) and Madagascar Jr. (Alex the Lion). On weekdays, Danny works downtown as an Office Assistant in a Chicago law firm. He serves his community as a member of Lions Club International and plans to attend college in the Spring.
Sean Grynberg, he/him, has been participating in Special Gifts Theatre since he was 7. He is a 14-year-old student with Down syndrome, and his favorite role so far was as Hawk in Little Mermaid, Jr., probably because it was his first time under the lights on stage! Last year he shone as Maui in Moana, Jr. (pictured). Sean is an 8th grader and will head to high school next year. Besides SGT, he dances in a hip hop class he has attended for years, and is the instructor's assistant in teaching hip hop to the preschool-aged kids. He loves performing, singing, dancing and, and signing using ASL.
Hope Michelotti, she/her, has been an actor with Special Gifts Theatre for over a decade. She has enjoyed singing and dancing in musicals such as Grease, Aladdin, and High School Musical. She is excited to begin her new position as dance assistant for the musical, Seussical. In her spare time, Hope loves to hip-hop dance, sing in her choir, and play mahjong.
Chicago Children's Theatre
Chicago Children’s Theatre focuses on the production of first-rate children’s theatre in Chicago, with top writing, performing, and directorial talent and high-quality design and production expertise. Chicago Children’s Theatre also produces The Red Kite Project, a multi-sensory interactive theatre program tailored specifically to the needs of youth on the autism spectrum. In 2017, Chicago Children’s Theatre became the first theater for young audiences in the nation to win a National Theatre Award from the American Theatre Wing, creators of the Tony Awards.
Catherine Councell (she/her) is a Teaching Artist, Actor, and Voice over artist. For the past decade she has worked with universities, schools, and professional Theaters in NC, GA, IA, and IL as a Teaching Artist, and she is passionate about emotional literacy, mindfulness, and learning through play. In Chicago she has worked with Chicago Children's Theatre as the Drama Teacher for Camp Red Kite 2022, as well as a Teaching Artist for their resiliency program: ROAR. She has also worked as a Teaching Artist with The Viola Project and with Musical Chairs, as well as volunteering as a facilitator with A.B.L.E Ensemble. Catherine holds a BFA in Acting from Brenau University and the Gainesville Theatre Alliance in GA, where she also toured as part of the GTA Repertory Company doing two shows in rep for students all over GA. She also has her MFA in Acting from the University of Iowa. Catherine has been a company member for GreatWorks Theatre Company since 2021 touring shows in schools all over IL, and just wrapped a production of MacBeth with Three Crows Theatre Company. She is certified through Theatrical Intimacy Educators in Working with Minors, Best Consent-based Practices, as well as Mental Health First Aid in the classroom. Catherine loves shaping safe/brave spaces that are inclusive, accessible, and fun. www.catherinecouncell.com
Sam Mauceri (they/them) is a theatre educator, artist, and administrator with a passion for creating accessible spaces for students and young audiences, and the Director of Education & Access Programs at Chicago Children’s Theatre. At CCT, Sam heads the Red Kite Project, a series of dynamic camps, classes, and residencies designed for young people on the autism spectrum. Prior to joining the Education team at Chicago Children’s Theatre, they served as the School Matinee Series Coordinator at Goodman Theatre, where they also co-directed PlayBuild, and Strike! The Youth Political Theatre Project. Originally from the DC area, Sam was the Master Instructor of Early Childhood Education and teaching artist at Imagination Stage, as well as a teaching artist with Young Playwrights’ Theater. Alongside teaching drama to young people, they also provide professional development for educators in arts integration, creating accessible and inclusive drama classrooms, and facilitating trans-positive learning spaces. As a director and playwright, their work has been produced in Chicago and DC.
Able Arts Work
The primary mission of Able ARTS Work is to provide lifelong learning, community service and vocational opportunities through the creative arts for people of all abilities and all ages in an environment of warmth, encouragement and inclusion. Able ARTS Work provides unique development opportunities to all participating staff, students and partnering community members, together we grow.
Savannah Runge (she/they) is an autistic theatre artist and educator based in Los Angeles, CA. Savannah is a Seesaw Alum, spending most of their undergraduate career on the executive board. After graduating from Northwestern in 2020, they have worked as a drama instructor for disabled adults at a region day program. Throughout her time at Able ARTS Work, Savannah has introduced students to sensory drama, playwriting, Shakespeare, and more. Savannah strives to provide neurodivergent affirming, disability-justice focused services to other disabled humans as she continues her work in accessibility.
Nancy Terry is a student at ART Center. She loves knitting and learning new skills. Nancy is happy being a knitter with a disability and is proud of all she accomplishes. In the future, Nancy hopes to become an excellent knitter and make money off selling her projects. Nancy enjoys learning about Shakespeare and practicing reading. She loves to read and write and can often be found buried in a book about writing. Nancy hopes you have a wonderful day!
Brian Corder has been an artist at Able ARTS Work for 6 years. Brian is a disabled podcaster who loves to pun. “I could have been a teacher but I’d lose control of my pupils. Or I could have been a doctor, but I’d run out of patience. Or I could have been a chef but I’d be a cut above”. Brian loves podcasting. This year, Brian has explored animation and Shakespeare. Brian dreams of a world where everyone gets along with everyone else. Brian was recently featured in the AAW CORE gallery show, displaying his modge podge collaged drum. To check out more of Brian’s work visit the AAW YouTube channel. Thank you for joining Brian in learning more about accessible art.
Aaron Francis is a big fan of music and enjoys singing any type of song. He loves to create art using watercolor. His artwork usually centers around animals, especially cats. He loves hanging out with his mom and ride in her car to get lunch. Thinking toward the future, he would like to read more Shakespeare and share this with others.
Henry “Ricky” Parral is a kind man who appreciates swimming. Though he often prefers not to touch most art materials, Ricky is a talented painter and has had his art pieces featured in many Able ARTS Work gallery shows. He has been attending ART Center for the past 27 years and his family has shared that there is no other place he’d rather be!
Lorenia Varela loves music and will often stand up and dance when a tune she likes comes on. She can always be seen smiling and is a joy to be around. She has been attending ART Center since 2006 and will always take part in music courses. Recently, she has assisted in composing music for a podcast theme song.
Rebecca “Becky” Neuhaus has taken part in many music and art classes during her past 7 years at ART Center. She loves routine and has a favorite spot that she will sit in each day while attending program. She loves hanging objects and will use adaptive sign language to say “please” when she wants staff members activate the mobiles. Becky is kind to her peers and will wave at them when they greet her.
Lisa Mellow is a student at Able ARTS Work. Lisa loves music and can often be seen rocking out to oldies. Lisa’s favorite instrument is the rain drum. Her work has been featured in the Able ARTS Work gallery and on the ART Beat Radio podcast. Lisa thanks the Seesaw team for this opportunity.
Pink Umbrella Theatre Company
The mission of Pink Umbrella Theater Co. is to promote and provide theater that is accessible and inclusive with people who identify with a physical, intellectual or emotional disability. Founded in September 2018, Pink Umbrella Theater Co. is the first of its kind in Milwaukee welcoming actors and artists age four through adult. We set out to be the first professional theater company, in Milwaukee, to hire Disabled Actors and Artists. Together, we will create a space that is inclusive and accessible for all.
Molly Kiefer (she/her) is a teaching artist, mover, and disability advocate in Milwaukee, WI. Molly has worked with Pink Umbrella Theater Company in a number of capacities, including teaching, Movement Director (SHINE!), and stage manager (Bigger Top). Molly has performed with Wild Space Dance Company and Zeze Schorsch. Molly co-leads Pink Umbrella’s Teaching Artists Identifying with a Disability group and is a resident with Socially Distant Art.
Katie Cummings (she/her) has dedicated over twenty years as a theater artist, educator and advocate for inclusion and diversity in theater. She founded Pink Umbrella Theater, the first of its kind in the city of Milwaukee, focused on theater created by people who identify with a physical, intellectual or emotional disability. A Wisconsin native, Katie graduated from Cardinal Stritch University with a BA in Theater and Business. Her resume includes First Stage, Bunny Gumbo, UW-Milwaukee, Chamber Theater and St. Joseph High School. She attended, and taught, a variety of professional development sessions throughout her career focused on equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. Katie believes that theater has the power to develop empathy, create meaningful connections and engage community. She is a recent recipient of the P5 award from the United Way of Greater Milwaukee.
SPORK!
SPORK! is a 501 (c) 3 Nonprofit and website for people who have Cognitive (mental), Physical and Non-Apparent (invisible) differences / disabilities. We are directed and managed by people with disabilities. Our main and most important goal is assist in giving a unique, united and authentic voice to the Disabled community. We accomplish this goal by documenting the works of both individuals and businesses who support and fight for the Disabled community, as well as creating an integrative network of resources for individuals, activists, designers and care workers
Whitney Hill is a specialist on accessibility with over a decade of experience in program management and communication. Her background in universal design and public accessibility combined with her personal background of identifying as someone with a disability give her a unique skillset to connect individuals with needed services, while also empowering them to advocate for themselves. Throughout her career, Whitney has aimed to ensure that public and institutional spaces are made readily accessible to all. In her role with LCM Architects and previous position at the Institute for Human Centered Design, Whitney partnered with government and private entities in conjunction with the Americans with Disabilities Act to meet and exceed standards for equal opportunity in accessibility. Prior to these roles, Whitney facilitated services for over 250 clients with the Blind Services Association and implemented new programs monthly to provide an accessible experience for the growing client base. Whitney has been featured in Crain’s Chicago Business as one of their 2022 Notable Black Leaders and Executives. Additionally, she serves as elected Chair of Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) ADA Advisory and as a Chair for the CTA Wayfinding Subcommittee, finding new ways to improve the transportation experience for the disabled community of Chicago. Whitney aims to continue her pattern of advocacy in Illinois as elected member of Governor Pritzker’s Blind Services Planning Council, Board Member at 3Arts, and as a Fellow (2020) and Member at Disability Lead. She is also a newly appointed member of Equip for Equality‘s Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) Advisory Council.
Gianni Carcagno
Gianni Carcagno (she/they) is a stage manager and theatre technician based in Chicago, IL, currently working with TimeLine Theatre Company as Production Assistant and Covid Compliance Officer. Other recent credits include Mentor Artists Playwrights Project, Porchlight Music Theatre, Music Theater Works, Lookingglass Theatre Company, and Pivot Arts Festival. Gianni holds a BA in Theatre and Sociology from Loyola University Chicago, where they led an arts accessibility initiative resulting in open captioning for mainstage theatre performances.
UIC/Babes With Blades Theatre Company
Richard Costes (he/him) is an actor, director, and accessibility consultant and is thrilled to have worked with BWBTC to bring the story of one of Shakespeare’s most manipulative kings to this stage. Richard has previously directed productions of Twelfth Night, As You Like It, King Stag, Kimberly Akimbo, Footfalls and Other Plays by Samuel Beckett amongst others. In 2019, Richard was one of 10 recipients of a 3Arts Award and is also a member of Disability Lead. A graduate of Kent State University (B.A. Theatre) he has co-presented at Gallaudet University’s symposium on Visual Shakespeare and was a panelist and member of the 2019 Deaf Theatre Action Planning Session hosted by HowlRound at Emerson College. He has consulted with National Disability Theatre, and currently sits on the board of the National Theatre of the Deaf.
Margaret Fink (she/her) is the Director of UIC's Disability Cultural Center, one of seven Centers for Cultural Understanding and Social Change. A cultural studies and literary scholar, she has taught courses on disability in American literature, reality television and anomalous embodiment, and narratives of the mind/body distinction in popular narratives of transgender and disability experience. She also has a professional background in writing support for academic and professional writers. After experiencing disability culture spaces at disability studies conferences, her work as a teacher blossomed into an interest in how our practices shape spaces for inclusion and belonging. More recently she has collaborated on pieces about accessible conference spaces and she co-taught a course at UIC in conjunction with this production, "Making Inclusive Theatre: Richard III as Disability Art."
Aszkara Gilcrist (she/her) is a blind actor based in Chicago. She is currently in Philadelphia performing as Julieta/Young Alberto in Odd Man Out. Her previous credits include Babes With Blades Theatre Company’s Richard III (King Richard III), The Bone Harp (Jenny Allen) at the Underscore Theatre Company, Moby Dick: A Musical (Sally) in the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, and Twelfth Night (Sir Andrew) at the Fern Street Theatre. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre from Palm Beach Atlantic University. She is honored to represent disability on stage.
Hayley Rice (she/her) is a Chicago-area actor and director whose work has been seen at such theaters as First Folio Theatre (The Winter’s Tale, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Man-Beast, Henry V, The Jigsaw Bride), Babes With Blades Theatre Company (Henry V, Child’s Play, Duchess of Malfi), Focal Point Theatre Company, & Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre in Minnesota. As an actor, she’s worked with The Factory Theater, Prologue Theatre, AstonRep Theatre, The Chicago Mammals, Circle Theatre, and Illinois Theatre Center, among others. She is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University’s School of Theatre Arts. Hayley is an Advising Artistic Consultant at First Folio Theatre and the Artistic Director of Babes With Blades Theatre Company. You can find more about Hayley and her future projects at HayleyRice.com.
Rachelle Palnick Tsachor (she/her) is Associate Professor of Theatre Movement at UIC. Her research and artistic process focus on body-mind connections in movement, how function and expression intertwine to support people: our bodies, brains, emotions, health and learning. Tsachor co-authored studies bridging science and arts, such as "Emotion regulation through movement" (Frontiers in Psychology), A somatic movement approach to fostering emotional resiliency (Frontiers in Neuroscience), and the chapter on movement in "Integrative Rehabilitation Practice: The Foundations of Whole-Person Care for Health Professionals." Her creative work ranges from “Bartenieff Fundamentals for Actors” in Movement for Actors 2nd Ed., to teaching workshops such as “Restoring Resiliency through Action” at the Association of Theatre in Higher Ed, corroborating essential action-based theatre techniques. At UIC, Tsachor’s artistic contributions as movement specialist serve to support kinesthetic empathy for diverse peoples and cultures through embodied understanding.
Seesaw Theatre
Seesaw Theatre was founded under the name "Theatre Stands with Autism" in 2012. TSWA was founded with the belief that theatre is a basic human right and denying anyone access because of ability status is unacceptable. Rather than merely accommodating audiences with special needs, Seesaw Theatre produces multi-sensory theatrical experiences where each guest is accompanied by their own "adventure guide" who plays with them throughout the production, creating an individualized experience.
Zoe Maroko (she/her) is a current third year at Northwestern University, where she double majors in theatre and neuroscience. She is originally from Marlboro, New Jersey. Zoe began serving on the executive board of Seesaw Theatre during her freshman year, and directed last year’s winter touring show “What’s the Buzz?” Her current board position is the Head Adventure Guide, where she trains students how to best interact with audience members. She is a Chicago based actor and performer, and also helps conduct psychological research on interpersonal relations with the Relationships and Motivations Lab (RAMLAB) at Northwestern. Special thanks to all of the Seesaw Board Members past, present, and future!
Registration for the 2022 conference is now open. We look forward to seeing you there! The 2022 Inclusive Theatre Festival will be an in-person event, hosted live at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. It will also be recorded and archived for future access for all patrons. We hope that you will join us for ITF 2022! For any questions or further information, please contact Conference Director Monica Williams at inclusivetheatrefestival@gmail.com
ITF 2022 Conference Schedule
ITF 2022 Conference Schedule
Check out our conference schedule below!
Registration for the 2022 conference is now open. We look forward to seeing you there! The 2022 Inclusive Theatre Festival will be an in-person event, hosted live at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. It will also be recorded and archived for future access for all patrons. We hope that you will join us for ITF 2022! For any questions or further information, please contact Conference Director Monica Williams at inclusivetheatrefestival@gmail.com
ITF 2023 Presenters
ITF 2023 Presenters
Social Media:
Instagram: @simonebrazzini / @vibesvideoproductions
Websites: www.simonebrazzini.com / www.vibes-video.com
Youtube: @vibes-video
Tik Tok: @simone.brazzini
Claudia Alick
Claudia Alick (she/they) is a performer, producer, designer, writer, and inclusion expert. She is currently a curator and access doula with The CripTech Incubator and CripTech GrayArea Metaverse. She is founding producer of the transmedia social justice company CALLING UP whose projects include Producing in Pandemic, The Every 28 Hours Plays, We Charge Genocide TV, Justice Producers, Co-artistic direction of The BUILD Convening with FoolsFURY, Directing a digital productions of Electra with Access Classics, Digital Design of The Festival of Masks with LA Commons, F the Gala, Gaming4Justice on Twitch, partnering with Trek Table as producer and on camera talent, in addition to building and facilitating the Mosiac Network (an alternative to facebook for BIPOC theaters and funders). Claudia acts as a consultant to funders and companies around the country. She served as co-president of the board of NET for 7 years, an advisor for the National Theater project for 6 years and co-produced Unsettling Dramaturgy (crip and indigenous international digital colloquium), and is an advisor to Howlround Digital Theater Commons. She has performed with NY Neofuturists, and on many podcasts and livestreams. Public speaking highlights include On Pleasure Activism with Disability Visibility Project + Integrated Community Services, AI for the People Black in 2042, and The Smithsonian Afrofuturism Series: Claiming Space, A Symposium on Black Futures. Her online racial justice practice is reaching thousands weekly. She is producing performances of justice on stage, online, and in real life.
Simone Brazzini
Simone Brazzini is a multihyphenate actor born in Lima, Peru, raised in Dallas, Texas, and currently based in Los Angeles. They hold a BFA in Acting and a minor in Film Production from DePaul University. Recent on screen credits include Vayle in the pilot Wizdom filmed at Chicago’s CineCity studios and Gael in a Wedding to Diego, a queer rom-com shot in Portland, OR. Recent regional theatre credits: Luciérnagas (National Queer Theatre), Sapience (San Diego Rep), and (trans)formanada (Stages) directed by Virginia Grise. Select Theatre School credits: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (Christopher), How to Clean Your Room (and remember all your trauma) (Spencer), Polaroid Stories (Echo), and Tall Enough (Asia) at the Merle Reskin. Other than acting, Simone loves rock climbing, hiking, writing poetry, creating music and generally moseying around in nature.
Simone’s passion for inclusion in media prompted them to found Vibes Video, a production company centering BIPOC, LGBTQ, and Neurodiverse voices. They aim to tell stories rooted in authenticity regardless of medium or genre. Recent productions include: One of the Boys (a queer sitcom pilot), It’s Alive! (a comedic sketch), and The Lamp (a short drama). Currently, Vibes Video is working on getting their feature, My Name is Blue (a queer/neurodivergent coming-of-age), off the ground.
Tina Childress
Dr. Tina Childress is an audiologist, advocate, late-deafened adult, bilateral cochlear implant user fluent in ASL and self-proclaimed Communication Access Engineer. She is also an award-winning presenter, adjunct lecturer and mentor for children and adults, and is active on various local, state, and national Boards and Committees as well as social media. She is renowned for her knowledge on assistive technology and accessibility, and creating shared resources at http://TinaChildressAuD.com She noticed many years ago that there were too many instances when patrons didn’t understand their rights or that a certain accessibility option was available. This led her to numerous opportunities over the years to try various forms of accessibility equipment, provide feedback to venues, educate them about accommodations with a focus on assistive technologies, and discuss effective ways to get this information to patrons. Dr. Childress has presented extensively on these topics and has also created resources for others to share and use. In her “spare” time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, especially if it involves partaking in the cultural arts or spontaneous singing and music enjoyment.
See.Hear.Communication.Matters. is the name of Childress’s website where she disseminates resources, and information, and writes blog posts about accessibility for individuals who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing.
Photo description:
Aly Easton, a white woman with long brown, curled hair, and blue eyes, smiles at the camera. She is wearing a light blue shirt, in front of a brick wall background.
Title Description:
Great Performances | Translating Shakespeare into ASL | Season 50 | Episode 19 | PBS
Aly Easton
Aly Easton is an actor, director, and disability consultant from Los Angeles. Her theatrical endeavors began at a young age when she would direct and star in mini-performances with her siblings and friends for their parents or for the cameras (secretly hoping to win America's Funniest Home Videos someday). Throughout her young life, Aly cultivated a love of improv and musicals, as well as a passion for access and inclusion. Aly received her BA in Theater Arts and Psychology from Azusa Pacific University, then moved to Italy where she studied Deaf Theater as a Fulbright scholar.
Upon returning to the US, Aly worked with A Noise Within Theater Company, The Chance Theater, Inland Valley Repertory Company, and more, and was a company member with Ophelia's Jump Productions. She adapted, produced, and directed an award-winning workshop of "Romeo and Juliet: An ASL Love Story" for the Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2014, and the full version for Ophelia's Jump Productions in 2018.
Aly made the move to Chicago to pursue her MFA in Acting at The Theatre School at DePaul University, and graduated in June 2022. Here, she has worked as an actor and disability consultant with The Theatre School, The Gift Theatre, and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre Company. She is an adjunct teacher at Roosevelt University, focusing on theater and social justice. As an artist-advocate, her mission is to cultivate community, facilitate education, and promote accessibility and inclusivity. Connect with Aly on social media at @AlwaysAlyEaston.
Tsehaye Geralyn Hébert
Tsehaye Geralyn Hébert is a Northwestern University and School of the Art Institute Chicago alum. At SAIC, Hébert chronicled a century of local history in The Chicago Quartet. Each work earned distinction, including winning the Alliance Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition for The C. A Lyons Project. Hébert is the first African American woman and first person with a disability to do so and the first alum of both institutions to have won. The C. A. Lyons Project world premier (The Alliance Theatre) won four of its five 2015 Suzy Bass nominations. A Sundance Theatre finalist (Tale of the Lychee Woman), Chicago Quarterly Review #33, An Anthology of Black American Literature (Charles Johnson Ph.D, ed. 2022) published her short story (“Off the Wall”). “Last Night I Went to Vietnam” was shortlisted Frank McCourt Essay Contest. Hébert is one of 80 poets selected internationally to celebrate Gwendolyn Brooks’ 80th birthday. She was playwright-in-residence at Chicago State University; and artist-in-residence at Valparaiso, and Evanston Public Schools. The citizen playwright founded Cook Jail County Women Writers Workshop. She was lead instructor with After School Matters and Young Chicago Authors. Hébert is a member of The Dramatist Guild, Black Theatre Network, and a past president of the African American Arts Alliance. Hébert is active in artists’ housing, accessibility, inclusion and arts engagement initiatives (Community of the Arts; Artists Design the Future; Disability Lead; the Cultural Collaborative; IIT IPRO) and member of Disabilities Future/Sacred Spaces performance initiative.
MoMo Holt
Monique Holt, known as MoMo with both “M” in UPPERCASE. She is in her third year as a tenure-track Theater Professor at Gallaudet University, the only Deaf bi-lingual university in the world, in Washington, DC. She got her BFA from Tisch School of the Arts majoring in Acting and her MFA from Towson University majoring in devised theater. She wrote her thesis: “Universal Design in Theatrical Presentation” which complements her thesis production: Are Your Ears Blind? She constantly explores how to turn “accessibility” into an art form.
MoMo, also known as MoMo, is a dynamic and innovative Theater Professor, currently in her third year as a tenure-track faculty member at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. Gallaudet University stands as the world's singular bilingual university, dedicated to the Deaf community. Monique Holt's passion for the theatrical arts and her commitment to making them accessible for all have made her a vital part of the institution's academic landscape.
MoMo's journey in the world of theater began with her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, which she earned at the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, where she specialized in the Grotowski Technique in Acting. Her commitment to her craft led her to further academic pursuits, culminating in a Master of Fine Arts from Towson University, with a focus on devised theater.
MoMo's academic journey was marked by her insightful research and creativity. Her master's thesis, "Universal Design in Theatrical Presentation," not only demonstrated her commitment to making theater inclusive but also showcased her dedication to artistic excellence. This research was not limited to theory; it found expression in her thesis production, "Are Your Ears Blind?" A testament to her ability to turn theory into breathtaking, thought-provoking artistic practice.
One of MoMo's distinguishing qualities is her unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of accessibility in the world of theater. Her unique approach seeks to redefine accessibility as an art form in itself, challenging norms and championing inclusivity. MoMo's work has not only impacted her students but has also created ripples throughout the theatrical community, advocating for greater diversity and accessibility in the performing arts.
As a passionate educator and an advocate for universal design in the arts, MoMo Holt is a trailblazer, constantly exploring and expanding the horizons of theatrical accessibility, and her contributions are sure to leave a lasting impact on the world of theater.
Terri Hudson
Terri Lynne Hudson is a disabled, chronically ill queer actor and multidisciplinary artist and disability rights advocate living and working in Chicago. She has a BA in General Studies in the Humanities concentrating in theatre, film and dramatic literature, from University of Chicago. She has studied at Second City, Vagabond School of the Arts and Acting Studio Chicago. She has most recently performed as part of the SHIFT video installation, led by Barak Ade Soleil, at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and her voice can be found reading creepy short stories on Audible and on the Random Acts Scary Stories Around the Fire Podcast.
Sins Invalid - Maria Palacios and Nomy Lamm
Sins Invalid is a disability justice based performance project that incubates and celebrates artists with disabilities, centralizing artists of color and LGBTQ / gender-variant artists as communities who have been historically marginalized. Led by disabled people of color, Sins Invalid’s performance work explores the themes of sexuality, embodiment and the disabled body, developing provocative work where paradigms of “normal” and “sexy” are challenged, offering instead a vision of beauty and sexuality inclusive of all bodies and communities.
Maria Palacios is a performer with Sins Invalid, as well as the Spanish Language Communities Outreach Specialist. Also known as the "Goddess on Wheels," Maria is a poet, author, spoken word performer, and workshop facilitator. Maria has published several books including Poetic Confessions Volumes I & II, Dressing Skeletons, and Criptionary. Maria's work echoes the resilience of crip survival, through the lens of her own experience as a Latina, immigrant, disabled woman living in Houston. Email: mpalacios@sinsinvalid.org
Nomy Lamm is the Creative Director of Sins Invalid, a disability justice based performance project that incubates and celebrates artists with disabilities, centering Black and Brown, queer, trans and non-binary artists. Nomy is a musician, illustrator, creative coach, and kohenet/Hebrew priestess who creates earth-based Jewish ritual tools including the Omer Oracle deck and the Dreaming the World to Come planner. Nomy lives in Olympia, WA on occupied Squaxin land with their partner Lisa and their animal companions Dandelion, Momma, Romance, and Chanukah.
ITF 2023 Conference Schedule
ITF 2023 Conference Schedule
* Sessions indicated with an * are being live streamed and recorded
Saturday, November 11
Norris University Center (1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208)
Sunday, November 12
Online via Zoom
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2023
NOV 11 - 12, 2023
Inclusive Theatre Festival 2023
NOV 11 - 12, 2023
Seesaw Theatre Presents: the Eighth Annual Inclusive Theatre Festival (ITF)! This event is a weekend-long conference celebrating the strides being made in inclusive and accessible theatre. ITF aims to bring together theatre artists and practitioners from across the country, giving us all the chance to learn about the amazing work being done and how we can also improve our own work while supporting marginalized communities. The conference is intended not only for theatre artists (students and professionals alike), but also for the disability community and their families, educators working with autistic and otherwise disabled individuals, and truly anyone interested in this ever-expanding and heart-warming field of inclusive theatre.
The 2023 Inclusive Theatre Festival was an in-person event, hosted live at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. It was also recorded and archived for future access for all patrons. For any questions or further information, please contact Conference Director Aashna Rai at inclusivetheatrefestival@gmail.com
Thank You For Joining Us This Year!
View 2023 Presenter Information!
View our 2023 conference schedule!
