An All Abilities Theatre Group in the Illawarra is starting work on a new theatre project called The Long Story Short.
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Bruno Conte is an ability linker with Ability Links Southern Region and said the All Abilities Group he worked with through his role with Uniting is a community development project.
The Long Story Short production is being met with excitement by people with a disability involved.
And they are helping develop the script by sharing their own stories.
Ability Links is creating an all inclusive verbatim style theatre production involving people of all abilities, ages and backgrounds.
Mr Conte hopes the Illawarra community will come along to see the complete production in early December.
“Several members of the cast have physical and psycho-social disabilities. We aim to portray their individual life stories in the script highlighting their challenges, strengths and aspirations. We will also be filming a documentary/drama capturing the entire process from recruitment of participants to the opening night production at Pheonix Theatre on December 1,” he said.
Rehearsals are presently being held once a week at Community Gateway in Atchison Street, Wollongong.
Actors Rachel Murphy and Sarah Lander have enjoyed sharing their stories and helping write the script.
“It is fantastic,” Ms Murphy said.
Ms Lander said the process did trigger a few emotions but it was good the production was going to be so true to life.
She will be playing herself and said it was also good to hear the stories of the other people involved.
Director Lajos Hamers is also a play-write but said this production was a little different and that was very exciting.
“The actors and participants have written it because it is a verbatim theatre piece. It is put together from their own words. They have been telling us their stories over the last few weeks. It includes their trials and tribulations and how they have overcome them,” he said.
Mr Hamers has previously directed a mixed abilities production of Midsummer Nights Dream about seven years ago for the Disability Trust. But the involvement of the actors in the play this time is making it a different experience.
Mr Conte said there were about eight people in the production and their stories were being woven together into a full dramatic piece to highlight challenges and situations people find themselves in.
Ability Links is an initiative of the NSW Government’s Department of Family and Community Services, Ageing, Disability and Home Care. It works with people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities and helps people with a disability, their carers and families develop links with others.
As a linker Mr Conte also works with local support networks, organisations and forums to support communities to be more inclusive and welcoming to people with a disability.
Ability Links NSW aims to assist people with a disability to be valued and equal members of their communities.
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
