On Oct. 12, the Accessibility Workshop Series will kick off with its first of three events. Presented by Maestra Music, Access Broadway and Co/Lab Theater Group, the series of free instructional sessions will help attendees proactively create accessible rehearsal rooms and performance spaces.
The series will launch with Access Broadway founder and Americans with Disabilities Act advisor Maria Porto leading a 90-minute workshop on Oct. 12. The session will include a summary of disability history in America and focus on barriers for musicians with disabilities on Broadway.
On Oct. 19, composer and music director Shane Dittmar will moderate a panel about disability representation among musicians on Broadway.
Finally, on Oct. 26, Co/Lab will lead a professional development workshop to help artistic leaders reexamine inclusivity in their own operations. Two Co/Lab teaching artists and two leaders (seasoned Co/Lab actors with developmental disabilities) will lead attendees through a conversation and activities around creating an inclusive environment tailored to neurodiversity.
Maestra Music is a nonprofit founded by composer, lyricist and music director Georgia Stitt. The organization’s mission is to raise awareness for and give support to women and nonbinary people in the music sector of musical theater. Access Broadway is a consulting group that helps organizations, typically those based in the arts, assess their current accessibility and become more accessible. Co/Lab Theater Group is a nonprofit that provides a creative and social outlet for people with disabilities.
