Spring 2018 Travel Grant Recipient
Ezzell Floranina of ETTA International - The Rainbow Players (Shutesbury, MA) met with Arts Access Aotearoa (Wellington, New Zealand) to learn how New Zealand’s nationwide practices and policies in universal access and inclusion affect the outlook of artists with labels of disability, both as consumers and as creative and performing artists.
SHAREBACK:
Shift The Mindset: Arts Access for All Abilities: The 4 A’s
My tour of New Zealand (Aotearoa) revealed ways that the country leads the way in ways to advocate for and ensure that the creative process is a shared experience across many types of barriers. My time was a rich exchange of ways that we, my theater troupe of 20 years, has developed methods for creative collaboration ; and for me to learn of other sweeping ways that a solid commitment shared by creative arts companies in New Zealand, on a national level, presents a valuable template on: “How To Create and Ensure Access to the Arts”. This is shared here, through a short outline and documents attached. See these as ways to imagine innovating within your company’s work and in the manner of outreach, ensuring that access to the arts reaches all people who experience barriers to participation or whose access is limited.
As we are in a time of confronting the assumptions made long ago of placing some people on a lower level of worth (Women- the “Me Too” movement/ People of color- the Black Lives Matter movement), it is high time to confront the ways that people who are labeled are held back from full participation in the way the arts are accessed, in training and presentation. Currently, there are some highly regarded series such as “Speechless” in which Micah Fowler is authentically a person with Cerebral Palsy; and “The Good Doctor” in which Freddie Highmore plays a surgeon on the Autism Spectrum. He is, however, NOT authentically playing from first hand experience. The recent film, “The Upside” with Brian Cranston, also is not played by a person who knows the experience of using a wheelchair. One conversation about this is found in this article: https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/09/why-cast-bryan- cranston-as-a-quadriplegic-man-when-disabled-actors-are-queuing-up-for-roles-8326744/
It is commonly stated that the actor has done a huge amount of research, etc. etc. What remains true is that studios and performing arts companies are not doing the research on who might be available to fill such a role. There may be actors who have great talent, and oh yes, the physical or mental disability experience to portray the character. In “Children of a Lesser God”, the playwright Mark Medoff states clearly that he required all of the roles representing people with hearing loss, to be played by the people for whom this is reality when it is produced professionally. Marlee Matlin came to the role when it was adapted to film and has had a strong career in roles since then not necessarily related to her deafness.
How To Create and Ensure Access to the Arts: (see each category in further detail in attached .pdf’s)
The DETAILS:
The Details for exploring and finding the right ‘fit’ for each artist, company and organization are available in the below PDF documents:
Finally, I hope that the artists and companies that explore this Shareback will feel free to contact me with any questions as to particulars or methods to begin to Shift the Mindset in your companies and communities. It is my passionate belief that nothing less than Brilliance resides in individuals who experience barriers to creative expression. It is for this reason that we must find the avenues to make Inclusion and Access a reality to further the field of the Arts.
PHOTO DOCUMENTATION:
Alpha Omega workshop with Ezzell in Rainbow of Desire scenario.
Jolt Dance class moment, with Teachers in Training, Rochelle and Ben along with guest attending that day.
Touch Compass Dance company class.
VIDEO DOCUMENTATION:
Theater company explores Rainbow of Desire exercise with Ezzell Floranina.
Touch Compass warm up exercise with integration of all abilities.
Jolt Dance Teacher in Training leading the steps to learn warm up dance.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Ezzell Floranina
ETTA International - The Rainbow Players
ezzell2244@gmail.com
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