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Hot Cripple #20/August 2016- The 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team

8/22/2016

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This "Hot Cripple" Series is an experiment; an effort to bring attention to the fact that Disability isn't necessarily synonymous with Ugly- as in Ugly Laws, which proliferated this country for over a century.

This month we feature the United States 2016 Paralympic Team.
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BP Sponsored Olympians L to R: Matt Stutzman/Paralympic Archery, Lex Gilette/Paralympic Track & Field, Melissa Stockwell/Paralympic Triathlon, Nathan Adrian/Swimming, Rudy Garcia-Tolson/Paralympic Swimming, Tatyana McFadden/Paralympic Cycling (Wheelchair), Brad Snyder/Paralympic Swimming, Sanya Richards-Ross/Track & Field
The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games will be held from September 7th through September 18th. Around 4,350 athletes from more than 160 countries will travel to Rio to compete in 528 medal events in 22 different sports.

Much like the 2016 Olympic games, the lead-up to the Paralympics have not been without speculation and scandal.
  • Zica.
  • Russia's Paralympic team was officially banned amidst a much publicized doping scandal.
  • By the end of the 2016 Olympics low ticket sales, empty seats and allegations that money for travel stipends allocated to Paralympic athletes from 50 nations were spent elsewhere (on the 2016 Olympics and non-disabled athletes), raised fears that this year would result in a huge step backward for the games and the Disability community. 
  • Vogue Brazil did the impensável; publishing a spread where images of non-disabled actors were photoshopped to appear as disabled athletes. The editors' decision to not use actual disabled athletes raised the ire of many current/former athletes and Disability advocates. 
  • The NBC network devoted thousands of hours to the 2016 Olympics and broadcasts numerous commercials using Paralympic athletes to sell the products of their sponsors. NBC's subsidiary NBCSN-SPORTS recently released the full schedule  and is devoting only 66 hours to the 2016 Paralympic games.

Former Paralympian (and recent HOT CRIPPLE) Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt had something to say about that-

Okay folks, this is important...the Paralympic TV schedule for the U.S. has been announced. You will notice that the times are crappy (i.e. 1AM) on NBCSN. However, if people do not tune in, and we do not get the viewership, this will NEVER change. So PLEASE turn your tv on and keep it on mute while you sleep, DVR it, host a midnight party, TUNE IN! Pretty please...we have so far to go in order to catch up to countries like the UK and Canada, but this is the most coverage there has ever been, so we must show that it is important to us Americans. Thank you."

Shortly after that statement was posted on line ticket sales for the Paralympics skyrocketed and broke a record for the most tickets sold in a single day. These two events are unrelated. Or are they?
Despite all the scandals and fears swirling around the 2016 games, the Rio Olympics were a huge success. We have no doubt this year's Rio Paralympics will follow suit. In a recent article in the New York Times, Frank Bruni wrote-

"Don't tell me what's wrong with the Olympics. Let me tell you what's right with them.
In a world rife with failure and bitter compromise they're (the athletes) dedicated to dreaming and to the proposition that limits are entirely negotiable, because they reflect only what has been done to date and and not what's doable in time.

They make the case that part of being fully alive is pushing yourself as far as you can go. Every Olympic record, every personal best and every unlikely comeback is an individual achievement, yes, but it's also a universal example and metaphor."


Who knows more about pushing limits and being a stand in for universal metaphors then PWD's?

We wish all the athletes participating in this year's games the best, but of course our hearts are with the men and women of TEAM USA! 

Check out individual profiles of some of the featured athletes:
Brad Snyder, Paralympic Swimming
Lex Gilletter, Paralympic Track & Field
Matt Stutzman, Paralympic Archery
Melissa Stockwell, Paralympic Triathlon
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Tatyana McFadden, Paralympic Track & Field
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The Apothetae and The Lark present “Telethon!” 2016:  An online event to raise awareness and support for The Apothetae and Lark Playwriting Fellowship

8/10/2016

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Lloyd Suh, Director of Artistic Programs at The Lark (Left), and Gregg Mozgala, Founder & Artistic Director of The Apothetae (Right) prepare to host "Telethon!" 2016.
New York, NY – The Apothetae, a theater company dedicated to the production of full-length plays that explore and illuminate the "Disabled Experience," and The Lark, an international theater laboratory based in New York City, are thrilled to announce their partnership in launching The Apothetae and Lark Initiative. The Initiative, currently in the development stages, includes plans for annual convenings of Disabled artists with the theater field at large, a workshop for Disabled writers, and The Apothetae and Lark Playwriting Fellowship, which will provide a Disabled writer with a two-year cycle of support for the generation and development of a new work to essay and challenge popular perceptions of the "Disabled Experience." In addition to the artistic and career support of The Apothetae and The Lark during the writer’s residency, plans for the award include $40,000 in financial support, a $10,000 opportunity and resource fund, and a $10,000 production enhancement fund.  To raise awareness and support for this program, The Apothetae and The Lark will produce “Telethon!” 2016, a virtual, theatrical event consisting of regular video posts to The Lark’s blog during the month of September.
 
Through these efforts, The Apothetae and The Lark, with the aid of Steering Committee members Claudia Alick (Community Producer, Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Shirley Fishman (Resident Dramaturg at La Jolla Playhouse), Jack Reuler (Artistic Director at Mixed Blood Theatre), and Howard Sherman (Senior Strategy Director and Interim Director at Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts), will provide an unprecedented platform of support for Disabled artists. The needs for a higher and more intentional level of advocacy were articulated during conversations that occurred during the first national convening of Disabled artists and the larger theater community, held by The Apothetae and The Lark in May of 2015, and out of which this Initiative was borne. While topics of equity, access, and inclusion in the theater have recently gained increasing prevalence, Disability is only just beginning to enter the conversation. By affording Disabled writers the space and resources required to take the necessary risks, The Fellowship aims to aid in the generation of work with the power to revolutionize the cultural dialogue surrounding Disability.
 
“We are an incredibly rich and diverse community with many stories to tell.” says Gregg Mozgala, Founding Artistic Director of The Apothetae. “The Disabled community needs space to nurture its talent and experiment.”
 
To raise awareness and support for The Apothetae and Lark Initiative, The Lark and The Apothetae will produce “Telethon!” This virtual, theatrical event will take place throughout the month of September, and will consist of regular posts on The Lark’s blog. Each week, The Apothetae and The Lark will publish new videos created by members of the community, inspired by The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon. This annual broadcast, held from 1966 until 2010, was hosted by actor/comedian Jerry Lewis to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The event has faced criticism not only for using Disabled people as a fundraising tool, but also for focusing the public's attention on medical cures to "normalize" Disabled people instead of addressing issues like providing accessible buildings, transportation, and employment opportunities. The MDA Telethon is an important part of Disability History in the 20th and early 21st Century United States. The Apothetae and The Lark see this as an opportunity for Disabled artists to begin to reclaim agency and ownership around their stories, images, and bodies. Confirmed participants so far include Ryan Haddad, David Harrell, Anita Holander, Gregg Mozgala, Evan Ruggerio, Pamela Sabaugh, and Jessica Yates.

“The Lark and The Apothetae are ready to launch this initiative as soon as we have funds in place,” says Lloyd Suh, Director of Artistic Programs at The Lark. “We’re hoping that by announcing our plans in this way, it will help us to identify key partners who are interested in contributing to this important work."
 
As both organizations continue to raise the profile and support for this program, The Apothetae and The Lark encourage anyone interested in getting involved or staying updated to sign up for The Apothetae and Lark Initiative’s dedicated email list.
 
To watch the “Telethon!” videos, visit www.larktheatre.org/blog regularly during September to check for new videos, post your thoughts in the comments section, and join the conversation.
 
Finally, for those interested in getting involved with “Telethon!” and The Apothetae and Lark Initiative, there is also the option to donate by visiting www.larktheatre.org and entering “The Apothetae” in the “Notes Regarding Gift” section of The Lark’s donation form.
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    The Apothetae is a new theatre company dedicated to the production of new full-length plays and existing plays in the theatrical cannon that deal with the"Disabled Experience." 

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