The University of Lethbridge’s last main-stage production of the season shows the potential is “unlimited” when disabled and non-disabled work together on a project.
“Unlimited” was created through a unique partnership bewtween U of L drama professor, Lisa Doolittle, and Pamela Boyd, founding artistic director of MoMo mixed ability Dance Theatre in Calgary and local organizations supporting people living with disabilities.
It is the culmination of two years work by Doolittle on integrating handicapped students in to drama at at the university and builds on the foundation laid in last fall’s Drama 3850: Dance for All Abilities class.
The full length play/ evening of dance and motion features 22 cast members including eight disabled students. Four of those eight were part of the class, while four others had no experience, but had impressive auditions.
Doolittle and co-director Pamela Boyd, who runs a theatre group for the disabled in Calgary, built the show around a little improvisation and more importantly, characters and characteristics the students created themselves.
“ One of them decided to be talented and evil. So he decided to be a magician. Without him, we wouldn’t have an evil and talented magician,” said Doolittle as an example.
The show is about a giant party attended by a variety of different characters.
“It started from a place of improvisation. It’s improvisational based, so what they produced became part of the show,” Boyd said.
“ Lisa comes from a more choreographed place as a dance teacher while I come from an improvisational background. Somehow we’ve managed to find a middle point,” she said.
She said the students, especially the disabled members of the cast have enjoyed the opportunity to cut loose and create.
“ Usually they’re always told to sit still and be quiet. They’re always told what to do,” she observed noting being part of drama encourages the exact opposite behaviour.
“ They get to see what is permissible,” she said adding by exploring, they also get to see what is possible,” she said adding instead, for this show they have been encouraged to speak up, move about and create.
She noted the university students in the production have fully embraced and integrated the newcomers.
“ It shows a subtle but tectonic difference in drama education,” described Doolittle who will incorporate the results of this project into her research.
“We had no story. The characters they created and finding the relationships with the other characters became part of the story,” she said adding all of the students exceeded her expectations.
“I have high expectations for everyone. Everything was completely possible, so they added some really different ideas. They were completely integrated into the class,” she said.
“This one girl Maggie has a mild form of Downs syndrome. But she love to dance. She has good rhythm and technique and just loves it,” she enthused adding it has been a wonderful experience to see the students develop.
One of the disabled students Randy Chandler got the performing bug in Doolittle’s class last year.
“I love to be on stage. I get to sing a duet. So we get to play together,” he said.
Unlimited runs March 17-21 in University Theatre at 7 p.m. each night.
Tickets available online at uleth.ca/tickets, by phone (403-329-2616) or at the box office Monday-Friday 12:30-3:30 and 1 hour before ticketed performances. $18 regular; $13 senior/alumni; $12 student.
