ABSTRACT
In this article, Carrie Sandahl explores the unique differences disability makes when it comes to casting. Sandahl identifies a critical shortage of trained actors with. She argues that this shortage will remain a primary obstacle to incorporating disabled actors into the profession for the foreseeable future as few disabled students are in the educational pipeline. She identifies several root causes of this problem in social and educational policy, dramaturgical convention, and audience reception. Sandahl encourages theater educators and professionals to take responsibility for addressing these problems by suggesting interventions, offering resources, and raising questions for theater artists to consider when casting disabled actors for both disability-specific and non-specific roles.
