Mixed Blood Theatre is a theatre company in Minneapolis, USA which Anthea visited in 2018. The theatre proudly stage they are "dedicated to removing any and every barrier we find". She was astounded by the company. This month Anthea chats to actor and director Regan Linton and research and marketing expert Robert Ley about Mixed Blood and their policy of Radical Hospitality.

• Mixed Blood https://mixedblood.com/

This month Anthea chats with Bus Stop Films CEO Tracey Corbin Machett and Actress / Filmmaker Audrey O’Connor.  Bus Stop Films have made over 50 films in their 12 years, but they’re also on a mission to make the whole industry more inclusive.

https://busstopfilms.com.au/

This month Anthea talks with filmmakers Emily Dash and Shawn Spina about one of her favourite initiatives, Screenability. Each year Screen NSW supports three filmmakers with disability to make a short which is shown at the Sydney Film Festival. The results have been spectacular.

Emily, Shawn and Anthea’s films are available on ABC iview:

Groundhog Night: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/groundhog-night

Prone to the Drone: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/prone-to-the-drone

Safety Net: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/safety-net

Consultancy is a contentious issue, so this month Anthea talks with Tom Middleditch from A_tistic and Matthew Field from The Attitude Foundation about what makes a good consultation.

In conjunction with the Sydney Writers’ Festival, Anthea talks with writers Kylie Maslen and Jacinta Parsons. Both have written remarkable debut novels about chronic illness and living with an invisible disability. These books are insightful, wise and achingly honest. Kylie and Jacinta discuss not only why they had to write them, but also what they hope will change in the medical industry and media.

Full notes and links: https://www.2rph.org.au/listen/podcasts/activated-arts

Awaye, Black Blood and White Tears: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/awaye/black-blood-and-white-tears/13304624

Legs on the Wall, Trestle: https://www.legsonthewall.com.au/news/2021/4/15/highlights-from-trestle

Anthea is joined by comics Madeleine Stewart and Alistair Baldwin to discuss the exciting, sometimes dicey intersection of comedy and disability.

Madeleine works in stand-up comedy and theatre, and created Sydney's first accessible comedy club, Crips & Creeps. Alistair is a writer and performer, working on ABC comedy series Hard Quiz and The Weekly.

We advise that this episode contains some strong language.

This month Activated Arts talk with ensemble members Simon Laherty and Ingrid Voorendt from Back to Back. Over the past 30 years, Back to Back has been one of Australia’s most successful and awarded theatre companies.

They have travelled across the globe at festivals in the USA, Europe, Asia and beyond, all from their home base in Geelong, VIC. Simon and Ingrid say they not only question assumptions about what is possible in theatre but also the assumptions we hold about ourselves and others. 

Transcript: Ep 6 Back to Back Transcript

When the trailer for Sia’s film Music debuted, the disability community was generally horrified. The film stars Maddie Ziegler playing a character on the autism spectrum, despite not being autistic herself. 

Sia bit back asking people to see the film before they judged it. So that’s just what we did. This week I speak with Sophie Smyth and Bridie McKim, two brilliant actresses who identify as living with disability, Sophie with autism. We discuss the film, casting and the broader ramifications of representation.

Recommended links:

• John in The Shot: https://theshot.net.au/entertainment/australias-media-utterly-failed-autistic-people-in-order-to-defend-sia/?fbclid=IwAR09xfxwnOTiEmNhxaMAt6wXT4dxUdA3hUZlqCaVMSFycQ5loMcjE5mbruc

Anthea talks with artist Hanna Cormick. In 2015 Hanna Cormick was living in Paris and working as a physical performer with a background in dance, circus and interdisciplinary arts.

Now Hanna is a wheelchair user and due to a number of acute allergic reactions she spends much of her time at home and must wear a full-face mask when in public. But her arts practice has deepened and the values behind her work have radically shifted. This month we spend a full episode talking to this remarkable artist. https://www.hannacormick.com/

Anthea talks with Asphyxia, writer of the remarkable novel Future Girl, and Sarah-Vyne Vassallo, choreographer, director and Artistic Director of Integrated Performance Company Murmuration. They discuss how their work and practice changed when they embraced Auslan and living with disability.

• Asphyxia, Writer, Visual Artist, Circus Performer and Musician | https://helloasphyxia.wordpress.com