ABSTRACT
Frequently in a historical, political or social context it has been the reluctance to view disabled people as human that has propagated the mistreatment of them. Disabled artists and activists are now working daily to ensure they get respect, jobs and work. Many theatre companies and producers continue to have fears about assimilating artists with disabilities into the larger arts community, believing it will cause restrictions on funding or loss of box office revenue and audiences, worrying about endless transportation and accommodation needs, and loss of their own funds due to benefits planning for artists with disabilities. This chapter is by no means a manifesto, however, by virtue of the political climate in the US in the past, disability issues have always been set in a political context. By virtue of the societal baggage inherent in working with the disabled the subject matter has taken on, certainly, emotional, historical, vocabulary, political and personal undertones as well.
