In the context of a comprehensive and wide meaning of inclusion – characterised by the valorisation of every kind of diversity -, theatre and the performing arts have received an increasing attention within the interdisciplinary fields of Disability studies (in particular, Disability Theatre) and Accessibility studies. The concept of “inclusive theatre” (“inclusive theatre-making” Di Giovanni 2021) refers to a fully accessible theatre practice based on the active participation of every member of the company in as many phases of production as possible, from the creation to the reception of a show.
“Teatro a Rotelle” company (Theatre on Wheels) is composed by non-professional actors, mostly students, with different forms of ability and disability and it is supported by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. The company has already produced videos and plays which develop an inclusive theatre practice that has received numerous awards and critical attention (see publication “Inclusive theatre-making on the stage: the case of Rebekka Kricheldorf’s Homo Empathicus (2014)” on Intralinea, 2022).
During the five-year period 2023-2028, the company “Teatro a Rotelle” aims to create a context of experimentation for an inclusive and accessible theatre experience for actors and audiences with the help of assistive software.
To achieve this goal, an interdisciplinary collaboration between directors, technicians and theorists of inclusive theatre will be developed.
2023-2024:
- Acquisition and implementation of assistive software and digital media;
- Mapping and study of contemporary experiences of inclusive theater in different international contexts;
- Creation of an inclusive theatre festival.
2025-2027:
- Production of the first inclusive work for both for actors and audience;
- Creation of guidelines for an inclusive theatre;
- Contribution to the theory of inclusive theatre within Disability studies.
Group leaders: Manuel Boschiero and Massimo Salgaro
Internal members:
- Sidia Fiorato
- Nicoletta Vicentini
- Jana Karšaiová
External members:
- Claudia Olivieri (Catania)
Actions: WP 1.1, 1.2, 1.4
Bibliography:
Kuppers, P (2001), Decontructing Images: Perfoming Disabilities. Contemporary Theatre Review, 11: 25-40.
Di Giovanni, E. (2022). Inclusive theatre-making: Participation, empowerment and well-being. inTRAlinea Special Issue: Inclusive Theatre: Translation, Accessibility and Beyond, Di Giovanni E., and Raffi F. (eds), https://www.intralinea.org/specials/article/2609
Di Giovanni, E. (2021). Oltre l’accessibilità. I teatri inclusivi. Lingue e linguaggi 43: 15−31.
Boschiero M. and Karšaiová, J., Salgaro, M., Vicentini, N. (2022), Inclusive theatre-making on the stage: The case of Rebekka Kricheldorf’s Homo Empathicus (2014). inTRAlinea Special Issue: Inclusive Theatre: Translation, Accessibility and Beyond, Di Giovanni E., and Raffi F. (eds), https://www.intralinea.org/specials/article/2593
Johnston, K. (2016) Disability Theatre and Modern Drama: Recasting Modernism. London: Bloomsbury Methuen Drama.