People with disabilities may have trouble seeing themselves in the stories and people on Broadway stages. Representation of disabled stories told by individuals with disabilities is crucial and needs improving.
Though national disability-related legislation makes accessibility a requirement for any facility or activity, the theatre industry has a long way to go before it can consider itself inclusive to people of all disability statuses.
REPRESENTATION
People with disabilities are not often given a chance to truly see themselves on stage because roles are not written with their representation in mind. If they are, they may not be played by an actor with a disability who has that experience.
Statistics reported by the National Disability Theatre group found that 95% of disabled characters are played by non-disabled actors. The 2020 unemployment rate of people with disabilities is 12.6%, over double the national percentage of 6.05%, because their skills and talents are not given opportunities. It is valuable for individuals with disabilities, especially the younger generation that may grow up wanting to be on stage, to see people who look like them and stories that feel like their own on Broadway and beyond.
It wasn’t until 2019 that Ali Stroker became the first person with a disability to win a Tony Award. After accepting her award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role of Ado Annie in the revival of “Oklahoma!,” she said in her speech:
“This award is for every kid watching tonight who has a disability, who has a limitation or a challenge, who has been waiting to see themselves represented in this arena...you are.”
With United States legislation like Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which assures equal employment and treatment regardless of disability status, and U.S. participation in initiatives for the promotion of equality like the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), it is more than time for progress in the theatre industry to hasten.
ACCESSIBILITY
The demographics of people who are attending Broadway shows are skewed towards the white, wealthy, and older generations. Among this disproportion is that the majority of audience members are not disabled, and the accessibility of mainstream theatre follows suit. This leaves the 61 million individuals with disabilities across the United States, 26% of the total population, out from the equation. Though they are the minority of theatre patrons, their ability to attend and experience a theatrical performance should not be oppressed.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)’s Title III “prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the activities of places of public accommodations.” Similarly the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968, requires that facilities funded, designed, or developed by the government be accessible to all individuals. When you combine these landmark decisions together, it is understood that all venues for theatrical productions must be accessible.
In compliance with Title III, theatres provide seating for wheelchair users, but that is where the aide usually stops. The availability of these seats are limited, be it a ‘wheelchair-only’ or ‘transfer arm’ spot, and complicate attending a performance with others. A theatre fan who uses a wheelchair wrote in a blog that other theatre fans with disabilities can “expect to find basic disability access, not full ADA compliance.” Though this complication has become integrated into the life of people with disabilities, the theatre industry should improve and make this experience easier.
Furthermore, accommodations for deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons are limited. Shadow interpreting is the most common way for people with hearing impairments to experience a performance. This is where a Sign Language interpreter stands near the stage and interprets the acting and singing as it is happening live. Audience members who need this ASL interpretation are faced with the difficulty of switching between the stage and their interpreters. These interpreters may not be available at all shows, narrowing the possibility of accessibility.
In 2015, the musical Spring Awakening was revived on Broadway in a critically acclaimed and audience favorite DeafWest Production. This style of production involves English and American Sign Language interpretations of the lyrics and script being performed simultaneously on stage. They hired a mixture of performers with and without disabilities, with and without hearing impairments, to portray the various roles. Nominated for 3 Tony Awards, the success of this show is an exemplary take on accessible theatre as deaf and hard of hearing audience viewers had their experience immersed in the story.
The theatre industry has a long way to go before it can be considered inclusive to people with disabilities. There are many changes needed to be made in accessibility, representation, and beyond, but they must be made in order to create a world of theatre that is truly open to anyone and everyone.
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