Break A Leg! Disability in the Arts

Nicole is joined by superstar Betty Siegel who lays out the essential information when it comes to disability rights in the Unites States arts sector. Betty also explains why she believes that cultural experiences are a critical civil and human right. 

What are the turning points in American disability rights history? And how do these laws impact the places where we gather for artistic and cultural experiences? How is the ADA enforced? Are “grandfather laws” a myth? Will the Wicked musical movie ever be released?! Ok, so maybe Betty doesn’t have the answer to that last one, but it was worth a shot. 

Betty Siegel is the Director of Accessibility and VSA for the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. She has worked in the areas of disability rights and access for over 20 years, and gives presentations across the US and internationally on the topics of disability, civil and cultural rights, and federal disability laws and regulations. 

Get in contact with the Kennedy Center accessibility team: 
[email protected] 

Produced by Scott MacDonald 
Artwork by Sasha & Alexander Schwartz

Nicole is joined by fellow Carnegie Mellon alum Marisa Rinchiuso (and her dog Remy) to dish all the (not so hot) Emmy Awards goss, dig into the intersections of disability and womanhood, and discuss the connection between inhumane working conditions and ableism. 

Other topics include: going on a Disabled Rage Rampage™️, progressive disabilities in the workplace, building for the future, accessible hills in “Crippletopia,” and the alleged disability icon: Eeyore. 

Marisa Rinchiuso is a disabled project manager currently working in concert touring and automation. A native Texan, she currently lives and works in Lititz, PA. 

Find Marisa online! 

Insta: @project.managed 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisa-r-905b27bb/ 

Awards Show Articles: 

Hollywood Reporter - written before the Emmys: 
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/emmys-2021-stage-ramp-ada-compliant-1235015798/ 

Variety Magazine - written after the Emmys: 
https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/james-lebrecht-cbs-emmys-disability-rights-education-defense-fund-tv-academy-1235068587/ 

2021 Oscars - first year with a ramp: 
https://www.today.com/popculture/oscars-stage-had-ramp-first-time-ever-t216300 

Ali Stroker and the 2019 Tony Awards: 
https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/11/opinions/ali-stroker-tonys-win-accessibility-disability-blake/index.html 

Produced by Scott MacDonald 
Artwork by Sasha & Alexander Schwartz

Nicole is joined by Stephen Santa and (surprise!) Claire Carbone for a deep-dive on Jumping Jack Theater, a Pittsburgh-based theatre company specializing in sensory-enriched theatre for young autistic audiences. They discuss the company’s production history and approach to crafting theatrical experiences that empower children with autism, and how they have adapted to the pandemic with a traveling show. 

Jumping Jack Theater online: 

Website: www.jumpingjacktheater.org 

Instagram: @jumpingjacktheater 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JumpingJackTheater 

Produced by Scott MacDonald 
Artwork by Sasha & Alexander Schwartz

Make sure to check out our interview on the USITT TECHnically Speaking podcast! 

Nicole and Scott joined Jenn Shuron from the United States Institute for Theatre Technology to discuss how they met, the creation of Break A Leg!, and more. 

Listen to the interview on...

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-down-disability-in-the-industry/id1496209270?i=1000541646804

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2GedoWHL37EzSI7xPGp3t1

Spreaker/iHeart: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/technically-speaking--4209662

More info: https://www.usitt.org/news/technically-speaking-breaking-down-disability-industry 

Break A Leg! is produced by Scott MacDonald 
Artwork by Sasha & Alexander Schwartz

Nicole’s friend and fellow playwright Adrienne Dawes joined us for this episode to talk about writing from different perspectives and in different genres. What have these playwrights been working on? Why do we need popcorn plays? Is Austin still weird? Listen to find out! 

Adrienne Dawes is a writer, producer, and teaching artist currently based in Fayetteville, AR. Adrienne's play Casta, inspired by a series of paintings by Miguel Cabrera, is planned to premiere next fall in Austin, TX with Salvage Vanguard Theater. 

Find Adrienne online! 

Website: www.adriennedawes.com 

Instagram: @heckleher 

Twitter: @heckleher 

Produced by Scott MacDonald 
Artwork by Sasha & Alexander Schwartz

Michael Patrick Thornton is the co-founder and artistic director of Chicago's The Gift Theatre. He joined Nicole to talk about producing, his career on stage and television, casting, representation, the “cripple card,” traveling abroad in a wheelchair, and more! 

The Gift Theatre online: 

Website: https://thegifttheatre.org/ 

Instagram: @thegifttheatre 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGiftTheatre/ 

Produced by Scott MacDonald 
Artwork by Sasha & Alexander Schwartz

Alondra Santos-Castillo is a theatrical stage manager, scenic designer, and artist. Nicole and Alondra discuss what it's like to have arthrogryposis in the workplace, some important US legislation, Alondra's recent entrepreneurial venture, Nicole's ideal "man meat," and more!

Find Alondra online! 

Instagram: @mamaduckysessentials 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MamaDuckysEssentials 

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/MamaDuckysEssentials 

Mama Ducky's Essentials on Etsy: 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/mamaduckysessentials/ 

Links to the SSDI Bills in Congress:

House: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3824 

Senate: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2065 

Produced by Scott MacDonald 
Artwork by Sasha & Alexander Schwartz

Gena Sims is a performer, the founder of the Autism Theater Project, and a fellow Carnegie Mellon alum.  She's producing "The Voice Inside," a new web series about how real teens, especially teens with disabilities, face challenges in their lives and succeed. 

Find Gena online! 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genasings 

Instagram: @genasims19 

The Autism Theater Project on Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/AutismTheatreProject 

The Voice Inside YouTube Channel: 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtYHFiCT3o4DBvMYfu8fKOA 

Produced by Scott MacDonald 
Artwork by Sasha & Alexander Schwartz

Nicole is joined by her friend Sydney Mayer to discuss disability representation in  media  (what really is "representation"?). They dive deep on disability and rhetoric, the words "Handicap" and "Accessibility," Inspo-Porn, character tropes, and more! 

Sydney Mayer is a writer and dramaturg currently based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She holds a BFA in Drama with a minor in Literature and Culture from Carnegie Mellon University, where she is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Professional Writing. 

Find Sydney online! 

Instagram: @sydney.isabelle 

Sydney’s Howlround Article: 
https://howlround.com/responsible-theatremaking 

Produced by Scott MacDonald 
Artwork by Sasha & Alexander Schwartz

Alethea Bakogeorge joins Nicole to discuss life with cerebral palsy, disability in the audition room, what it means to write and play nuanced disabled characters, and more! 

Alethea Bakogeorge is a physically disabled actor, arts administrator, and arts accessibility professional. She has worked extensively in American and Canadian theatre, and originated the role of Chrissie in the US national tour of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live: King for a Day. She currently lives in Toronto, and works in access and fundraising at The Musical Stage Company. 

Find Alethea online! 

Instagram: @AletheaMB 

Twitter: @AletheaMB 

The Musical Stage Company: 
www.musicalstagecompany.com 

Produced by Scott MacDonald 
Artwork by Sasha & Alexander Schwartz