A.B.L.E.—Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations—a Chicago-based nonprofit that creates theatre and film for, with, and by individuals with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announce today a re-imagining of the epic classic The Odyssey.
A.B.L.E's production weaves music, movement, shadow puppetry, and scenes devised by the group into a powerful and joyful celebration of the choices we make, and the challenges we face along our journey. The vibrant adaptation features a neurodiverse cast of 44 performers, including 24 actors with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The performance in the Courtyard Theater on May 11, 2024 at 2:00pm will mark the two companies' 7th collaboration, most recently having co-produced A Midsummer Night's Dream last spring.
The theme of fate vs. agency is prevalent in Homer's tale, and it's one that co-directors Braden Cleary and Katie Yohe particularly wanted to highlight with the Ensembles. Currently, 24 actors with varying disabilities including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and autism take part in A.B.L.E.'s performance ensembles. "Folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities often have a lot of choices made for them, or it's presumed that they are not capable of making their own choices," says Yohe, also A.B.L.E.'s Executive Artistic Director. "Braden and I drafted a loose skeleton of the story but the script and production is really actor-led." Each actor self-identified where their strengths lie as a performer and were assigned to a chapter of the story based on their interests.
Over the course of a 10-week rehearsal process, actors collaborated with a team of volunteer facilitators to build the story. Facilitator Kara Davidson, a company member at Manual Cinema, helped actors design and build shadow puppets to bring to life monsters like the Cyclops and Scylla. Music Educator Polly Yukevich loaned the ensembles 15 ukuleles to bring musical magic to The Lotus Eaters and the seductive Sirens.
A.B.L.E. is committed to ensuring everyone feels they have a space in the theatre. The sensory-friendly performance will include numerous accessibility supports for audience members of all ages and ability levels. This includes dual ASL interpretation and open captioning. A.B.L.E. also reserves a designated movement zone for audience members who need to move around to help them focus. Audience members will receive a social story and sensory guide before the show to help audience members know what to expect from their trip to the theatre. "We hope we can set an example for our community of what true inclusion looks like both onstage and off."
EVENT DETAILS
Saturday May 11, 2024 at 2:00pm
Chicago Shakespeare's Courtyard Theater
800 East Grand Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Tickets: All tickets are Pay-what-you-can starting at $15, general admission
Online: ableensemble.com/events
Phone: 312.595.5600
In person: at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater Box Office
Access: Performances will be open captioned and dual ASL interpreted. Out of consideration for our immunocompromised community members, masks are required in the theater.
This production of The Odyssey is sponsored by Gail and Dennis Rossow. A.B.L.E.'s 2023-2024 Season is partially supported by grants from The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, FunFund, The Illinois Arts Council, Innovation 80, The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, and The National Endowment for the Arts.
ABOUT A.B.L.E.
A.B.L.E.—Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations - is celebrating their 8th anniversary of creating theatre and film for, with, and by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A.B.L.E. engages actors ages 13 and up through ensembles and outreach programming. Whether in person or online, all A.B.L.E. programs strive to foster agency, and nurture lifelong skills like communication, collaboration, and creativity. A.B.L.E.'s ensembles have produced more than 25 projects for the stage and screen, ranging from adaptations of theatrical classics by Shakespeare, Dickens, and Gilbert & Sullivan, to original work, to innovative Zoom projects including Romeo & Juliet Remix. A.B.L.E.'s feature films have been recognized by several local and international festivals. By placing people with disabilities in the spotlight, A.B.L.E.'s work strives to shift societal preconceptions, and build more inclusive, empathetic communities. For more information about A.B.L.E., please visit www.ableensemble.com and find them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
Regional Tony Award-recipient Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season—plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners each year. Founded in 1986, the Theater's onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. Chicago Shakespeare is dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers; one in four of its audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, the Theater works to embrace diversity, prioritize inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On the Theater's three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire. www.chicagoshakes.com.
Growing up our radio dial was tuned to one channel, K-Earth 101. In Southern California that station was the oldies,…
Crowds will flock to see “Judgment Day,” having its world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. While many…
In "Panther in the Sky," playwright Lani T. Montreal masterfully weaves a tapestry of grief, resilience, and redemption through the…
A collaboration of Chicago dance and Germany lighting sculpture live on stage About the Program: This program, set within an…
Broadway In Chicago is excited to announce the pre-Broadway World Premiere of DEATH BECOMES HER is now playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre…
Blue in the Right Way audaciously chose for their inaugural production a 400-year-old play, WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN, written in 1621…
I think my favorite thing – well, one of my favorite things – about Wyatt Kent’s take on HAMLET is…
Frolicking season is upon us once again and Joffrey Ballet welcomes summer with the return of Alexander Ekman’s “Midsummer Night’s…
As the audience takes its seats we are greeted by an atmosphere of foreboding, a trestle bridge girder to the…
Director Chuck Smith returns to Goodman with another major August Wilson revival–“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”. This is the second…
The Gift Theatre is pleased to announce its 2024-25 season featuring Suzan-Lori Parks' masterpiece Topdog/Underdog directed by Shanésia Davis and the world premiere of Cygnus by Susan Soon He…
Broadway In Chicago is excited to announce that individual tickets for the world premiere of the first ever touring production…
Full cast and crew have been announced for BrightSide Theatre's upcoming production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, the rock opera that…
Chicago Opera Theater (COT), Chicago’s foremost producer of new and reimagined opera, closes its 50th Anniversary season presenting the final performances of…
Tim Rhoze, Artistic Director of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, has announced the company's 2024 season of four productions. The season will open with…
David Williamson, regarded as one of the top magicians in the world today, makes his Rhapsody Theater debut with Ridiculous! Known for his tours…
Curious Theatre Branch is pleased to announce the 35th annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival, May 25 - June 30 at six venues across Chicago. The…
It’s often said that in the workplace you should refrain from talking about politics and religion; too personal, too easy…
BALLET 5:8 is a female - and minority-led ballet company resident at Harris Theatre in Millenium Park. Under the leadership…
When life’s chaos is full of impossible choices, how are we possibly meant to move forward? Brooklyn Laundry is about…
I would absolutely bomb out of jury selection cos I have a very definite bias: I’ve been a fan(atic) of…
You got trouble, my friends, if you’re going to put on Meredith Willson’s The Music Man. If you’re going to…
This year's Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 65th-anniversary engagement at Chicago's historic Auditorium Theatre held particular importance as it marked…
For the final show of its 30th anniversary season, Trap Door Theatre—the little company that could—has selected a sure-fire hit…
Chicago’s National Landmark Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive) proudly announces its 2024-25 performance season presenting a vibrant mix of…
Chicago Writers' Bloc has announced the lineup of plays and musicals for its biennial festival of new plays, to be…
If you appreciate classical music and captivating stories about brilliant artists from the past, Hershey Felder’s one-man show, Monsieur Chopin:…
Jackalope Theatre Company continues its 16th season at Edgewater’s Berger Park, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd., with the announcement of the cast…
Born and raised in Mexico City, Dr. Ricardo Rosenkranz, MD, Chicago’s own Physician Magician, will celebrate the festive Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend by…
The Player (Lorenze Rush Jr) has just run into Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with his troupe of players. As he explains…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.